After several years of Alzheimer’s disease and two weeks of Covid-19, Rachel Mary (Bates) Anderson was received into Heaven on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at about 11:00 PM at the age of 85 years and 3 months. Rachel was born August 12, 1935, in Amagon, Arkansas, the daughter of the late James F. and Dixie Mae (Bramlett) Bates. She moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas from Sulphur Rock upon her graduation from Sulphur Rock High School in 1953. She was employed at J.C. Penney during her early years in her new hometown. Rachel was married to the late James M. Anderson on December 15, 1955 until his death on August 4, 2019, a marriage of almost 64 years. At the time of her death, she was a resident of Southern Trace Rehabilitation & Care Center in Bryant. The family wishes to give special thanks to the nurses and staff for their personal, professional, and compassionate care since she moved there in April of 2020.

Rachel was employed by the Pine Bluff School District for two years as a teacher’s aide until she became secretary at Southeast Junior High. Her next move in the district was to secretary of the food service system from which she entered retirement. She was active in the Pine Bluff Retired Teachers Association.

Rachel and James received Ned Perme’s Active Senior Award due to their devotion to jogging, distance races, and exercise in general having taken up the activities in the mid-1980’s. She continued running and/or walking at least three miles a day until late 2018 when she and James entered the Mount Carmel Assisted Living Center in Benton, Arkansas.

In addition to exercise, she was a devoted member of Olive Street/Olive Branch Baptist Church for over 60 years. She served in Vacation Bible School and children’s Sunday School, as well as a deacon’s wife for many years. Rachel was known for her cooking and especially her pecan pies. She was a very giving person to all she knew and will be sorely missed by all until the rest of her family and friends join her in the presence of Jesus.

Rachel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, grandson Phillip Mooney, and one son-in-law, Michael Johnston. Also preceding her in death are four of her siblings, Francis (Aunt Sis or Dr. Ann to her UAM students) Haywood, Allen (Uncle Brother) Bates, Matthew Bates, and Eunner Mae (Nunu) Finney. She is survived by two siblings, brother John Bates (Zelpha) of Fayetteville, sister Macel Hoaney of Judsonia, her daughter Cheryl Mooney (John) of White Hall, daughter Carol Ann Johnston of Oklahoma City, four grandchildren, Traci Abell (Marley) of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, Andrea Sullivan (Jeremy) of Bentonville, Erin Coleman (Seth) and Ryan Johnston (Stephanie) of Oklahoma City. She is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren; Tyler, Sam, Lauren, Kylin, Kenzie, Aubrey, Kennedy, Tatum, Elliot, Logan, Selah, and Royce and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Pallbearers will be Bubba Foust, Bubba Walker, Scott Townsden, Ed McCall, Kevin Moore, and Rick Ferguson. Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of Olive Branch Baptist Church.

Services will be directed by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors with visitation at Olive Branch Baptist Church at 10:00 AM and service following at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 28, 2020. The family requests that Memorial offerings be designated to the Olive Branch Baptist Church Building Payment Fund (5130 Bobo Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71603) or the Alzheimer’s Disease charity of your choice. Interment will be at Philadelphia Cemetery, Prattsville, Arkansas at 2 PM.