Rachel Elizabeth (Kamerer) Anderson was born in Findlay, Ohio, on February 18, 1918. Her parents were Jessie Zeller Kamerer and Julia Elizabeth (Murray) Kamerer. She passed away at noon on November 12, 2013 in Ozark, Missouri. Her home residence was in nearby Springfield, Missouri, where she had lived most of her adult life. Her other loved ones who have taken this journey are her husband, Nathaniel Blackford Anderson, her sister, Lois Dorothy (Kamerer) Boswell, her granddaughter, Sara Kai Dillon, her grandnephew, James Craig Carr, her brother-in-law, Joseph Cody Anderson, and her sisiter-in-law, Dortha June (Wakefield) Anderson. She leaves behind many people who loved her including her immediate family: her son David Phillip Anderson of Springfield, Missouri; her daughter Elizabeth Anderson of Ozark, Missouri; her granddaughter, Cody Jo Dillon of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica; and her grandson Rueben Arthur Anderson of Orlando, Florida, and his children. She also leaves behind her nephew John Joseph Boswell of Palm Beach, Florida; her nieces Elizabeth Susan Boswell of Springfield, Missouri, Sally Ann Gilstrap of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Nancy Wakefield Sanders and Jane Cody Trogdon of Carthage, Missouri; as well as their children and their children's children. Anyone who loved Rachel knows that mere words could never give true insight into the person she was. Her life on earth, spent with the family and friends who adored her, cannot be measured in language. As the old saying goes, "to know her was to love her." And so we are left with only a few paragraphs in which to bring some sense of clarity to a life so well lived, a life that touched and changed so many people: her many close friends over the years, her two children David and Elizabeth, their friends, her grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and their friends. Rachel was able to relate to people of all ages in a magical way. When David and Elizabeth were in high school the Anderson house was the place to be, primarily because of their parents, Nat and Rachel. Nat and Rachel were cool. As the phone calls have been going out to alert friends and family of her death one word seems to strike a theme and keeps popping up in conversations about herthat word is class. Just one example can be seen in this response from a much younger person who hadn't seen her in many years: "Rachel, Rachel is gone?" "Oh no, she had such class." Rachel was very well educated. But not solely because she graduated from Central High and Drury College. She never stopped learning, she was so interested in everything. Over the years her level of knowledge about the world took on a degree of sophistication that never ceased to amaze those closest to her. She loved very fine things. Not because of what they cost, but rather for the detail and skill in the making of those things. She loved music and played viola in the Springfield Symphony where she met Nathaniel, a fellow musician who would become her loving husband. She understood the power of the creative process and was enthralled by fine art from every period. She could, with great fanfare, "hold forth" on everyone from Van Gogh to Picasso, Warhol and Jackson Pollock. She believed that travel was the very best education. She visited all the classic places in Europe and America, as well as "off the beaten path" places in Mexico, and told many wonderful and inspiring stories over the years about these trips. She was always fascinated by architecture and design. In the early part of her life she was most interested in the classic buildings of the Renaissance and the great cathedrals of Europe. However, as she grew older she became more intrigued with modern architecture. Her eye for design was apparent in her knowledge of materials, furniture, and fashion. Rachel was a seamstress of the very highest level. Her skill was the subject of amazement for anyone who had garments made or altered by her. Her granddaughter, Cody Jo, owes many successful proms and bridesmaid appearances to her Mimi's ability to make her dresses fit perfectly. Every stitch was sown with love. Rachel played bridge all her life. She hosted her final foursome just two weeks before falling ill. Rachel was an avid reader. For years she had been driving to the Brentwood Library every few weeks to fulfill her ongoing quest for a good read. She read everything, fiction, non-fiction, history, anthropology, science, biographies, and religion. Although she was a member of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church, she found truth and possibilities in all faiths. By her life's example she was an advocate for social justice, especially the rights of women. She was a mentor and role model for everyone who knew her well, regardless of differences in age, belief, or lifestyle. She was an excellent cook. Her flan was the very best, and her festive crown roast could have easily been the cover shot of the holiday edition of Bon Appétit. Her holiday meals were something to behold, and her friends and family who were fortunate enough to join her at her table will never forget those wonderful events. Any meal, formal or informal, was perfect if Rachel cooked it. Rachel's love of good food and wine was only surpassed for her fondness for lively conversation. The food was always great, but the dialogue was just sublime. Every family gathering would end on notes of laughter and joy, most often initiated by Rachel's comedic skill and timing. She was a dynamic teller of stories. Rachel lived independently until the last week of her life when she suffered a debilitating stroke. She had exact directions for this very scenario, should it occur, and her family is grateful for the loving people at Ozark Nursing and Care Center who helped with her transition from this world into the next. We cannot say enough about the C-Wing staff. The care Rachel received and the compassion and understanding that came with it were beyond our expectations. We especially want to show our gratitude to Hospice Compassus, and specifically Rachel's attending hospice nurse, Jane, for helping give Rachel the peaceful exit she so richly deserved. She died on 11-12-13 with dignity and grace surrounded by her loving family. Rachel Anderson's life was a life lived well for almost 96 years, and even as she was leaving us she was still so beautiful. She had such class. Rachel's final wish was for a simple graveside service to be attended by friends and family. We will be honoring her wishes on Tuesday, November 19th at 2:00 pm at the East Lawn Cemetery located at 2244 East Pythian Street. At Rachel's request, her ashes will be interred along with those of her granddaughter, Sara Kai Dillon, who passed away in 1993. Arrangements are under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Rachel's memory to The Library Foundation/Brentwood Branch, PO Box 760, Springfield MO 65810. Contributions can also be made online at yourlibraryfoundation.org.