Rachel

In Pioneer times, families were more used to losing loved ones.  My Grandpa Esplin married two wives on the same day July 10, 1876, in the Salt Lake Endowment House.  Aunt Hattie, daughter of the Other Mother, told me that her mother was healthy and strong and had healthy and strong babies; and my grandmother was sickly and had sickly babies.  I don’t know if that were true.  I remember her telling me that her mother had babies right away and my grandmother waited years to have her first baby.  In checking the genealogical records, I see that both wives had her first baby in January, only four days apart, 2½ years after they were married.  It is true that Aunt Hattie’s mother had nine children, all of whom lived to adulthood, most of them into their 80’s.  My grandma had 12 children; only five of whom lived long enough to be married and have families.  Five babies in a row died.  Harriet died at four months with whooping-cough.  The others, Howard, Henry, Emily and Josiah, lived only a few days or a few weeks.  Lucy died at age 15; and a promising son, James, died at age 31 while away at college.

I recently read a book on the ten handcart companies, of which my Heaton ancestors participated.  Every family faced death daily during that ordeal.

Now days, we generally don’t have those challenges.  Children dying is the exception rather than the rule.  Every family does not bear that sorrow.  So when Erika called this morning to tell us that Rachel Wood died, I was saddened.  She is the third of six children of our old Farmington neighbors, Paul and Carolyn Wood, to die young – before her time.  Her sister, Paula, in her early 20’s died first; then a sister, April, age 44, died suddenly four years ago. The mother, Carolyn, died two years ago; 71 years old.  Young really. Twenty-four days later, her identical twin sister, who was to her funeral, died.  They also buried one of their five grandchildren.  And now Rachel, gone in the prime of life.  It pricks my soul.  They are such kind and gentle people.  They don’t have a mean bone in their bodies.  They cry but they have accepted each death with a strong faith and abiding trust in God’s will.

 RACHEL KAGIE

Rachel Wood Kagie 1966 - 2011.  Rachel Wood Kagie of Bountiful, Utah, 44, passed away quietly Saturday afternoon following complications due to cancer. She enjoyed being a homemaker, cross-stitching, crocheting, playing games of all kinds, and also tending and hosting game parties with her nieces and nephews. Some of her favorite activities included: gardening, camping, fishing, vacationing, and loving her dog, Misty. She lived life fully for 22 years after a kidney transplant donated by her brother, Eric. Rachel married her high school sweetheart in the Salt Lake LDS Temple, and had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preceded in death by her mother, Caroline (sp); and sisters, April and Paula. She is survived by her husband, Val; son, Orin; father, Paul (Farmington); and siblings, Shelly, Eric (Farmington), and Clark (West Virginia). Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Bountiful South Stake Center, 1250 South Main. A viewing will be held Thursday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main and Friday 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at the church prior to services. Interment-Bountiful City Cemetery.