Rachel Janey Martin Wallin

Rachel Janey Martin Wallin Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, community volunteer, Sunday School teacher Rachel Wallin of Cresskill passed away peacefully on Jan. 12th in the presence of her family. She made everyone smile with her great sense of humor and showed how to live with her generous spirit of caring and serving. Rachel, often called Rae, was born in Newport News, Virginia on September 3, 1921. Although she spent 75 years of her life in the north, she still had some of that southern charm in her voice. She was predeceased in 2009 by her husband of 65 years Norman. They met during WWII over a game of ping pong at the USO Club in Tampa, FL and married in Jul 1944. They were always happy together. She was predeceased by her three brothers Walter, Milton, and Robert. She had three sons and daughters-in-law: James and his wife Jude, Lee and his wife Sue, and Carl and his wife Allison. Her five grandchildren were Jesse, Jamie and her husband Drew from James and Jude; Eric, Steven, his wife Stephanie, and their son Miles, and Lisa and her husband Matthew Geiss. from Lee and Sue. Rachel was active in her community and church, and had a wide circle of friends. She was a Life Member of the PTA and was in charge of all Class Mothers for 5 years at Bryan School, a member of the Cresskill Garden Club for 40 years, and Auxiliary of the Englewood Hospital for 40 years. She started Story Hour in the Cresskill Library along with her friend Marlys Lehman. She was on the board of Little League and made popcorn on Friday to sell Sat morning at games. She volunteered in the school library. Rachel was an active member of the United Methodist Church at Demarest, serving on multiple committees and teaching Kindergarten for over 30 years. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother for 5 years. Rachel had a group of friends known as the Tuesday Club. Every Tuesday they got together after lunch for coffee, crocheting, needlepoint, and knitting. This group of friends was an important part of her life. Rachel led a full and joyous life. She made people smile and made you laugh. She did not give lectures on how to act, but her actions taught her sons, and anyone who knew her, how important it was to care for others and to work at making the world a better place. A Celebration Service will be held at the United Methodist Church at Demarest, 109 Hardenburg Ave., Demarest, NJ 07627 on Saturday March 7 , 2020 at 3 PM. Details will be posted on the BarrettFuneralHome.net website where a longer life history and photos can be found. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the UMC at Demarest Memorial Fund c/o UMC at Demarest. We rejoice in knowing that Rachel is in heaven being reunited with her beloved husband, parents, brothers and friends. We lost someone who made a difference, but how she lived showed others what is important and how to carry on.

Rachel Janey Martin Wallin

September 3, 1921 - January 12, 2020