Rachel A. Critelli

There is a hole in our hearts today as we say goodbye to a beautiful lady, who put a smile on the face of everyone who was fortunate enough to know her. Growing up, I idolized her and wanted to be just like her. As we grew older, I didn’t get to see her as much, but whenever we did get together, those youthful memories we shared were never forgotten. I often reminded her of how much she meant to me and how much I looked up to her.
Rachel was special in so many ways from her name, being named after our grandmother, to the way she found a way to laugh and get you to laugh, even when things were were not so easy to laugh at. I’ve always felt that the way to get through any adversity is to find humor in it, and Rachel was the perfect example for us to do just that. So instead of feeling only sadness, I will try to find reasons to smile and laugh in order to honor her memory in a way I believe she would have preferred.
May you Rest In Peace, the peace you are so deserving of, and know that we are also going to find strength and peace in all of the beautiful memories you’ve left us with. We’ll miss you but never stop loving you.
Signing off with a smile,
Eileen

My Aunt Ray…. My Aunts are like second mothers to me, and I guess they set the bar for me, to then follow on in their footsteps with all my nieces and nephews 🙂 They supported and cared for me, they always were there for me, and always defended me, and loved me just like my own mother would. ❤️ I’m very sad to say, one week ago on Easter Sunday ✝️ my Aunt Rachel passed away, and the reality of that has been difficult, somewhat shocking just how quick it had all occurred. First my grandmother 8 1/2 months ago, and now her daughter, nobody ever imagined. My heart goes out to her family.. my cousins, and to my parents. My love and big hugs to all of you.😘 Her kids and grand-kids were her world. In less than a year my dad had lost his mother… and now his sister. I know this has been a difficult time for my parents due to having to be quarantined thru all of this going on, and not being able to be there for her and her family as they wanted to or should have 😢
My Aunt Ray always could make me laugh with the silliest of things, she loved to wear big hoop earrings, and I have to mention she made the best grilled cheese sandwiches second to none. Thinking back growing up, her and my cousins were always around my family, we were all very close. Every week they would drive out to the house, we would go swimming in the pool, play with all the neighborhood kids. I remember the whole bunch of us all would jump into the family station wagon and head to the Ground Round which was always the go to on the list for dinner with the entire gang of kids in-tow. Aunt Ray would always bring boxes of Entermans for our dessert! She loved ice in her glass of red wine, and a pot of weak water-downed coffee that she would drink throughout the day was always on the stove. Her favorite color was black, Elizabeth Taylor was her idol, and James Dean was her movie star crush. I have a lot of good memories of her to always smile about. She always would tell me the trip we took to California was one of her favorites. She loved watching movie classics and was in her realm when we went to LA. Looking back now, I am so happy we got to do that together. We had many good times filled with lots of fun conversations over the years. She was my next door neighbor for quite some time before I then had to move. I was literally just a backyard shout away anytime she or my grandmother needed something. Memories of times heading to the Chinese buffet after work, or sitting in a Burger joint or a Diner for hours just chatting away. Reminiscing of hanging out at the kitchen table laughing, with her hankie in her shirt pocket, munching on nuts and catching up. Her catch phrase to call somebody or me, was sweet lips… “hey sweet lips!” 🙂 She was funny, and quirky in her own way….and for anyone that knew my Aunt, I know would surely agree… there will never be another Aunt Ray 💔 May choirs of angels lead you into paradise my dear Aunt… and may Eternal rest, grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.🙏❤️ Rest well Auntie… gone too soon 😢💔