LAURINBURG — Lillie Marcella Rachels passed away on Jan. 7, 2016, at Deerfield Ridge in Boone, surrounded by loving family.

She was born on May 5, 1928 in Cheraw, South Carolina. She was one of eight children born to George Sampson Quick and Mary Quick Hurst.

She and her husband Percy Lee Rachels, Sr., raised seven children together. Lillie helped support her husband's career as a tenant farmer near Gibson and later as an employee of McNair Farms. She held a number of public jobs including nursing assistant at Scotland Memorial Hospital and later as an employee of Ingraham Watch Company in Laurinburg.

In 1968 they moved their family to the Wakulla Community near Red Springs, where they fell in love with the community and resided until their deaths.

She spent countless hours in her flower garden and many neighbors and friends have benefited from her passion as well as members of Montpelier Presbyterian Church in Wagram. Many of Lillie's flowers have been seen in the pulpit bouquets through the years. She was a long time member of Montpelier where she dedicated her time as the nursery attendant and received the Presbyterian Women's Honorary Life Membership Award.

When her children reached adulthood she pursued another passion by becoming a caregiver and companion to various individuals in Scotland and Robeson Counties. She considered caregiving as her gift from God and loved every minute of her employment.

She was preceded in death by her husband Percy Lee Rachels, Sr., twin infant daughters, her parents, brothers Rufus Quick, William Carson Quick, and George Sampson (Bill) Quick, sisters Rachel Parker and Shirley Miller, and a great-grandson.

She is survived by her sons George Peele (Linda), Percy Lee Rachels Jr. (Donna), Tom Rachels (Nora), Melvin Rachels (Beth), and James Rachels (Felice), daughters, Mary Proctor (Wilson), Nancy Foster (Larry), and Betty Ammons (Ben), brothers Ralph Edward Quick and Harrison Quick, 16 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Special friends of Lillie were the Bill Shaw family, Lillian Buie family, Baxley family and long time neighbor Florence Gaitley.

A celebration of life memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Montpelier Presbyterian Church in Wagram, followed by visitation with the family in the church fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: Montpelier Presbyterian Church of Wagram, Wagram, NC 28396; Medi-Home Hospice of Watauga County, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 205,Boone, NC 28607 or Lillie Marcella Rachels Nursing Scholarship Fund Robeson Community College Foundation P. O. Box 1420, 5160 Fayetteville Rd. Lumberton, NC 28359.