Dorothy Rachel Kirby (daughter of Foy Parrish Kirby and Clara Roberta Cash) was born on March 12, 1927 in Chatham County, North Carolina. She died on February 20, 2017 in Durham, Durham, North Carolina. She married Donald Elwyn Parrish (son of Alvin Emerson Parrish and Margaret Bryan). He was born on February 17, 1924 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. He died on May 1, 1987 in Chapel Hill, Orange, North Carolina.
Dorothy Rachel Kirby and Donald Elwyn Parrish are buried at Lystra Baptist Church Cemetery in Farrington, Chatham, North Carolina.
Children of Dorothy Rachel Kirby and Donald Elwyn Parrish
2. Lisa Parrish
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Obituary of Rachel Kirby Parrish - February 2017
Mrs. Rachel Kirby Parrish, 89 passed away Monday night, February 20, 2017 at Eno Pointe Assisted Living, in Durham, North Carolina.
A Chatham County native, Rachel was born March 12, 1927 to the late Clara Cash Kirby and Foy Parrish Kirby.
Rachel graduated from Pittsboro High School in 1944. She attended Danville Memorial Hospital School of Nursing as a member of the United States Nurse Corps of the US Army during WWII, where she met her future husband Don, a returning POW and Purple Heart Army Veteran. She graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1948. She was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi Nursing Sorority and was a charter member of the Women in Military Service for America.
Rachel was employed as a Registered Nurse at UNC Memorial Hospital, in Chapel Hill for 32 years, ending her career in 1982 as Supervisor of the Inpatient Division of the Student Health Service. Rachel prided herself in being a college graduate and career professional during a time after the war when many women did not work outside the home.
Rachel was an avid gardener with a passion for roses, cultivating over 200 rose bushes in her garden, as well as a greenhouse of orchids, mini orange trees, mini kumquat trees, poinsettias, sago palms, and an abundant fruit orchard, fig bushes, and grape arbors. Rachel was an accomplished seamstress designing coordinated outfits for herself, her daughters and granddaughters. She was also a self taught artist with many of her oil paintings on display in her home.
Rachel was an active member of the Lystra Baptist Church where she served as the Girls Auxiliary Leader, member of the Women’s Missionary Society, Bible School Director, Sunday School Teacher and Church Officer.
In addition to her parents, Rachel was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Donald Elwyn Parrish, and her brother John Hebron Kirby. She is survived by her sister Leah Kirby Cheek of Spartanburg, SC; two daughters Polly Parrish Wise (Gary) of Chesapeake, VA; Lisa Parrish Bryant of Durham, NC; three grandchildren Andrea Wise Davis (Toby), Erin Wise Clements (Richard), Alexander Heartt Bryant (Kelly), and three great-grandchildren Fionna, Kyle, and Kelsey.
A service to honor her spirit and life will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 beginning with visitation scheduled for 12:30 p.m, followed by the funeral scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Donaldson Funeral Home in Pittsboro, NC; Rev. Susan Rogers officiating. The graveside service with military rights, will follow at Lystra Baptist Church cemetery in Chapel Hill, NC; Rev. Tim Williford officiating.
Obituary of Leah Sue Kirby Cheek -- May 2021
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