Obituary: Rachel Mildred Beadle Holt

Rachel Holt, of Oak Ridge, died with her family at her side and peacefully of natural causes at Greenfield of Oak Ridge on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. She was 91.

Rachel Mildred Beadle was born March 21, 1922, in Giles County, Tenn., the first and only daughter of Raymond Beadle, a farmer and storekeeper, and Nannie May Russell Beadle, a homemaker, who also had seven sons but two died as infants. Rachel spent happy childhood years with her five brothers in the rural village of Campbellsville and later Pulaski in Middle Tennessee. She was an ambitious and energetic child who helped raise three younger brothers, worked in the family grocery store, and made her mark as an eager and serious student and skillful basketball player.

After high school, with financial help from a brother Lawrence, a naval officer, Rachel attended Martin College in Pulaski, Tenn. Rachel’s childhood girlfriend, Ethel Holt, introduced Rachel to John Cecil Holt, a brother home on leave from naval service, and the relationship blossomed quickly. Upon graduation from Martin College, Rachel took a job as a clerk in the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C. She left that job to marry John in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 19, 1943, and she occasionally traveled by train across the country to rendezvous with him. Rachel gave birth to their first daughter, Reba Rae Holt, on March 28, 1945, in Yorktown, Va.

After the war, they returned to Pulaski to be close to family. John owned a plumbing and heating business, and in 1947 Rachel began her lifelong career as a teacher. On Oct. 8, 1949, Rachel gave birth to a son, John Beadle Holt.

In 1953, the family moved to Oak Ridge, where John worked at the Y-12 plant. They remained in the city their entire lives and enjoyed a happy and vibrant life. For more than four decades, Rachel continued teaching in both Oliver Springs and Oak Ridge schools, everything from preschool to high school English. She loved children, stories, poetry, and making a difference in the lives of her students.

On Nov. 23, 1963, Rachel gave birth to a second daughter, Jana Marie Holt. While a teacher, Rachel was also a student, continuing her education at the University of Tennessee, where she graduated in 1972 with a B.A. in Education. In Oak Ridge, Rachel and John were active in the public schools, the community, and civic organizations. First United Methodist Church was most important to Rachel and her family, and she served in diverse servant roles from Sunday school teacher to evangelism leader. Rachel supported John who served two terms as an Oak Ridge City Councilman. John died on May 31, 1985.

Throughout their lives, John and Rachel cherished time with family, including their siblings and many nieces and nephews, in their childhood home of Giles County, Tenn. Rachel emulated the selfless love of her gracious mother and was always pleased to share a story of how her mother, who had no high school education, valued education, was hard-working, was a pillar of the community, and had inspired her.

After John’s death, Rachel continued to pour her life into her grandchildren, friends, and church activities, living by the motto, “The joy is in the journey.” Notwithstanding challenging health issues, Rachel demonstrated an indomitable, but gentle, and grateful spirit. Even when a stroke at one time briefly impaired her speech, she could always clearly say, “I love you,” and “Thank you.” More recently, at Greenfield of Oak Ridge, Rachel was a cheerful and independent resident focused on “growing older gracefully” by sharing “her positive life experiences, laugh, humor, faith, and journey.”

Rachel daily “counted her blessings” that included her three children and their families: Reba Holt Shackelford and husband, the late Dr. Donald Ben Shackelford, of Roswell, Ga., with son, Donald Elliot Shackelford, of Berkley, Calif., and daughter, Stephanie Marie Shackelford, of Roswell, Ga.; John Beadle Holt and wife Pamela Lofton Holt, of Crownsville, Md., with son, John Lofton Holt and wife Alyssa Apsel, (with daughters Josephine Haze Holt and Louisa Eve Holt) of Jacksonville, N.Y., and son, Patrick Andrew Holt and wife Kristen Ann Holt (with sons Henry Tyler Holt, and Ethan Cooper Holt) of Salt Lake City, Utah, and son Christopher Aaron Holt and wife, Margo Hennigan of New York, N.Y.; and daughter Jana Holt Martin and husband, Steven Duane Martin with children, Steven Christopher Martin, Richard Desmond Martin, Elisabeth Marie Martin, and Mathew Holt Martin, of Oak Ridge.

The family is most grateful for the privilege to have shared wonderful years in this special community. The family will receive friends from 10:30 until noon on Friday, Nov. 15, in the church parlor at the First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. The funeral will follow at noon with Rev. Robert T. Cantrell Jr. officiating. The interment at Oak Ridge Memorial Park will be private.

Weatherford Mortuary is handling the funeral arrangements. Expressions of gratitude may be expressed by donations to the First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.