Rachel Ann (Woolever) Meyer, 71, of Celina, Ohio, peacefully entered Heaven's gates to be with the Lord, surrounded by her loving family, on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at her home following a long battle with cancer.

Rachel was born January 17, 1955, in Ashville, Ohio, the daughter of the late Ralph H. and Charlene (Dresbach) Woolever.

She is survived by her adoring and devoted husband of 51 years, Patrick (Buz) Meyer, whom she married July 26, 1975, in Ashville, Ohio; three children, Sam Meyer of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Kate (Matt) Gottschalk of New Knoxville, Ohio, and Tina (John) Meyer of Lebanon, Ohio; eight grandchildren, William, Benjamin, and Graysen Meyer, Lela and Barrett Gottschalk, and Elizabeth, Temperance, and Emilia Meyer. Also surviving are her siblings, Karen (Gary) Hovis, Byron Woolever, and Crystal Woolever, all of Ashville, Ohio, and JoAn (Monte) Matteson of Pataskala, Ohio; aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins; and her special nieces and nephews, and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph H. and Charlene (Dresbach) Woolever; her in-laws, Shirley and David Bryenton; her brother-in-law, Steve Nelson; and many dear aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

Rachel is also survived by lifelong friends and neighbors, and her dog Bentley.

Rachel was a member of First Church in New Knoxville, Ohio. She was a member of the Pickaway County Historical and Genealogical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Dreisbach-Dresbach Family Association. A 1973 graduate of Teays Valley High School and a graduate of International Business College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, she worked as an administrative assistant and web designer, most recently at Emerson/Copeland, the Belle of Louisville, and Shelby County Workforce Partnership. She also owned and operated Home Town Market with her husband from 1991 to 1996.

Rachel devoted her life first to Buz, and she loved to tell how it began: at a wedding in New Knoxville she heard him sing the Lord's Prayer, and she was so amazed by his voice that she wanted to meet him. She was 20 when she married him, and for just over 51 years she made a home with him in Ohio, Kentucky, and Alabama, his companion and helper in everything. She never stopped loving the soothing sound of his voice when he sang. She gave the same devotion to her children and grandchildren, and loved spending time in the garden and flowerbeds. Rachel kept her family's genealogical history, carrying forward the work her parents began, and prepared everything for those she loved so that no burden would fall to them. She also enjoyed hand weaving baskets, even teaching classes and traveling to craft shows. Rachel also enjoyed sewing and quilting, and was able to share her gorgeous creations with those whom she loved. She held a tender concern for the loggerhead turtles of Kiawah Island, South Carolina, where they vacationed for nearly half their marriage.

Above all, Rachel trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior, and her faith never wavered, in health or in sickness; she even prayed often with her doctor. She rested on His promise that no one can snatch His own out of His hand, and on His word, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one trusting in me, even if he dies, will live." She believed Him. Her family grieves with hope, knowing she is now made whole, at home with her Lord, who will wipe away every tear. Rachel was always sharing her faith with her family, friends, and strangers, fulfilling the Lord's Great Commission at every turn. For her stone she chose the words of an old hymn: "God my Redeemer lives, And often from the skies Looks down and watches all my dust, till He shall bid it rise."

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Rachel's memory to the Tim Tebow Foundation's Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Ministry, P.O. Box 1335, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32004, or online at timtebowfoundation.org/donate. Checks should note "In memory of Rachel Meyer, Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation" on the memo line.

Friends may call at the First Church Ministry Center in New Knoxville on Sunday, September 6, from 3 to 6 p.m., and in the Heritage Room at First Church on Monday, September 7, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., with the funeral service and celebration of her life beginning at 11 a.m., Pastor Joel Bucklin and Pastor Leslie Krieg officiating.

Interment will follow at Pilger Ruhe Cemetery outside of New Knoxville, with a luncheon to follow at First Church.