Obituary: Rachel Whitesell, 45, Of Windsor

WINDSOR, CT- Rachel Payne Whitesell, 45, passed away on August 20, 2018 after waging a courageous battle with cancer. Although gone from our sight, she lives on in the hearts of her family and friends. She was born in Choong Nam, South Korea in 1973 and came to the United States to join her adoptive family on May 11, 1979. Rachel graduated from Gaither High School in Tampa, FL in 1992, prior to attending Florida State University, where she received a B.A. in American Studies in 1995 and a Juris Doctorate from the College of Law in 1998.

Following graduation, Rachel began her adventure in New England by moving to Boston, MA before settling in Windsor, CT, where she and Dan were married July 7, 2001. Rachel worked as an attorney for the law offices of Butler, Norris & Gold in Hartford, CT from March 2000 until December 2006 and for the State of Connecticut from December 2006 until her retirement in July 2018. Rachel loved gatherings of all kinds.

It was during these times that she developed life-long friendships. Friends are the people in life that make you laugh a little louder, smile a little brighter and live a little better. She was an amazing soul, full of love and humor, lighting up any room she walked into with a fun loving spirit and a smile that was infectious. She easily brought out the same in all of us, and she was loved for it. Rachel shared many memories with her friends and family, including weddings, babies, first homes...but it’s the little everyday things that will be missed the most. She was a bonafide listener, secret keeper, advice giver, dance partner and an amazing coffee date.

In 2004, Rachel caught the baseball bug when her adopted Boston Red Sox won the World Series, but she didn’t truly fall in love with the sport until the Spring of 2011 when her own little leaguers joined the Windsor family. Over the following years, Rachel spent countless hours with her various baseball and softball crews volunteering, building lasting friendships, and watching her children and their friends and teammates grow into amazing young adults.

In June 2017 when she received her cancer diagnosis, Rachel taught us all to be present in the moment, to train our sight on the near term. She never pretended that her news was not heartbreaking. She desperately wished to witness her remarkable children become the even more remarkable adults she knows they will be. However, she was able to find beauty in such an ugly diagnosis; understanding her new perspective offered riches as well. She showed us why you should stop to smell the roses, that impatience to experience life’s major milestones can cause one to disregard smaller joys.

Rachel was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and aunt. She had an unwavering love for those close to her. Her love, generosity, and kindness will live on in all of us lucky enough to have known her.Rachel's memory is cherished by her loving husband, Daniel J. Whitesell and their children, Alexa and Jacob Whitesell; her parents, Bryan Payne and his wife Lori of Tampa, FL and Barbara Lien and her husband Paul of Tampa, FL; a sister, Elece Farberov of Tampa, FL and a brother, Andrew Payne and his wife Megan of Seattle, WA; father-in-law, William Jerry Whitesell and his wife Mary of Bonifay, FL, sister-in-law, Susan Whitesell of Tucson, AZ and brother-in-law, William Robert Whitesell and his wife Tiffany of Cullman, AL. She also leaves 6 nieces and nephews and many dear friends.

A celebration of Rachel's life will be held on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. at The Lodge Community Chapel & Banquet Hall, 130 Deerfield Rd., Windsor, CT. Burial will be privately held and memorial donations in honor of Rachel may be made to one of the following - either would make her smile.In support of the amazing men and women by her side during her fierce battle:● Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, c/o Philanthropy Dept, Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102 or online at https://giving.harthosp.org/do... support of scholarships for those in need, as she felt the opportunities her family had to develop friendships and growth should be available to all:● Team CT Baseball, Inc. A non-profit Youth Baseball Program. c/o Whitesell donation, 525 Burnside Avenue, East Hartford, CT 06108

Information and image via Carmon Community Funeral Homes