Rachel Eileen Leford

Rachel Eileen LeFord, 84, passed away Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at Newman Regional Health with family members by her side.

Rachel Eileen Phillips was born on August 22, 1933 in Neosho Rapids, the daughter of William and Eva May (Verlin) Phillips. Her early childhood involved a farm life caring for animals and assisting her father with chores. She graduated from Neosho Rapids High School in 1951. She worked at Kness and Globe Union as a cashier and secretary. She worked most of her adult life as a medical records clerk and as a medical transcriptionist in Colorado, South Dakota and Kansas at Newman Regional Hospital until her retirement in 2007.

She met Ed LeFord in 1954 and they married on February 19, 1956 in Emporia.

Rachel was an active member of the Neosho Rapids Memorial Methodist Church where she prepared the Sunday bulletin and the message board outside for many years till her health started to decline.

Her favorite pastimes included playing the piano, taking care of her bird sanctuary and caring for her vegetable and flower gardens. Rachel loved puppies, kittens and dogs. Most of all, she was a kind and gentle lady who cared about others. Rachel was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Rachel will be forever remembered by her husband, Ed, of the home; two sons, Duane (Diana) Brookings of South Dakota and David (Sandy) LeFord of Neosho Rapids; three sisters, Janet “Toots” Heckathorn, Leona Boosinger and Mary Besack, all of Neosho Rapids; three grandchildren, Blake LeFord, Jessica (Mike) Mediger and Heide (Steve) Kleiner; four great-grandchildren, Christian Mediger, Dane (Asya) Kleiner, Arin Kleiner and Ivy Kleiner and a great-great-grandaughter, Aleah Kleiner.

She was preceded in death by a brother, William “Billy” Phillips and a grandson, Joshua.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Neosho Rapids Memorial Methodist Church. Family will receive friends an hour before service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Neosho Rapids Memorial Methodist Church and sent in care of Jones VanArsdale Funeral Home, P.O. Box 43, Lebo, KS 66856. Condolences may be expressed at vanarsdalefs.com.