Rachel (Schlarman) Wright

Rachel Elaine Wright, 80, peacefully passed away at home on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 in Moapa, NV. 
She was born on April 27, 1940 in Las Vegas, NV to parents Henry Joseph and Sophia Samson Schlarman. 
Rachel was raised in Arden, NV where her father was a section foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad. Her childhood included many memories of playing with her sister, cousins, and friends. One of their favorite games was playing on the old tire tube and spending time in Moapa, NV and in Caliente, NV with family. 
She attended Las Vegas High School until the new Rancho High School opened.  Then, she was transferred to and graduated from Rancho High School, shortly after which she met John B Wright and they were married on March 3, 1958 in Las Vegas, NV. Later, they were sealed in the St. George Temple on November 26, 1977.
Throughout her life, she worked many jobs including lifeguard, waitress, inventory control specialist for JC Penney, house and office cleaner, and many positions at Clark County School District.  She worked for almost 30 years for Clark County School District starting in Vegas at J. E. Manch and Lomie G. Heard Elementary Schools and ending up in the Moapa Valley schools.  She started in the lunchroom, then worked as a health aide, athletic director's secretary, and finally Mack Lyon MS registrar.   She retired to care for her father but continued to support the local schools throughout the rest of her life. She attended college classes from UNLV and BYU to further her career at CCSD.
As a US Air Force wife, Rachel left Arden to live in many locations including Tennessee, Las Vegas, England, Germany, Florida, and back to Las Vegas. She was a member of Family Services and helped other wives and their families with hardships and loss. 
In 1974, with John's USAF retirement, John and Rachel made Moapa their permanent home. Rachel's dad was now the UPRR Section Foreman at Moapa and Rachel's mom and dad had the Moapa Bar right across the tracks from the railroad depot. Rachel's family and extended family strengthened their bonds as they worked together and enjoyed many activities such as the annual Easter Family Picnic.
Rachel had a passion for taking trips, meeting people, eating foods, and supporting the kids in all of their activities. She enjoyed trips with the Dixie State Art Department to California and attending the Shakespeare Festival plays in Cedar City.   She loved shopping and found great pleasure in thrift stores, estate sales, and yard sales finding "little treasures" for family, friends, and her own collections. 
She loved making hot pepper pickled eggs for family and friends and donating them to the Clark County Junior Livestock Show Auction to generate money for the kids.
Throughout the last 47 years, she supported and enjoyed the youth activities and community events in the valley.  She greatly enjoyed the Clark County Fair and Rodeo, the Pomegranate Festival, sporting events, plays, concerts, and parades.  She loved being a grandparent member and supporter of MVHS Booster Club, Perkins ES PTA, Perkins ES PTO, Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board, Moapa Valley Cappalappa Family Resource Center Council, Boy Scouts, and 4-H.  As a child, Rachel had been in 4-H in the sewing and cooking clubs.  She embraced and promoted the ideals of being prepared and making the best better with a focus on your head, heart, hands, and health.
She enjoyed her many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She loved her primary kids and claimed to learn more from the kids than they learned from her.  She was passionate about genealogy and family history.  She loved sharing her experience and knowledge as Ward Emergency Preparedness Specialist.  She enjoyed working at the St. George Cannery wet pack and was saddened when it closed, but she continued her own preparedness in new ways.
She was a lifelong reader and enjoyed her time reading with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved food murder mysteries, gossip newspapers, the Mountain Eagle, historical accounts, and children's books.
She was proud to be a mom, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She loved and supported her children and did her best to help them learn to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams. 
Rachel is survived by her children, Joe (Shelly) Wright, Shari (Bob) Lyman, Joni Immerman; her grandchildren Kyra (Jason) Tijsseling, Toby (Cami) Wright, Michael (Sarah) Immerman, Richard Immerman, Nicolas Immerman, Odin Lyman; her great-grandchildren Jaxton, Oakley, Keegan, Torrance, Jonah, Henry; her sister Sophia (Bill) Dederichs, and her cousin/baby sister Josephine (John) Shoots, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and fur babies. 
She is preceded in death by her husband, John B Wright, her parents, and her brother, William Henry Schlarman. 
Viewing services will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021, 6-8:00 pm at the Moapa Valley Mortuary, with Graveside services held on Friday, January 15, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Warm Springs Cemetery, and a video recording (not a live recording) will be uploaded later to Rachel Elaine Wright Memorial Facebook Group. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in their Guest Book at www.moapavalleymortuary.com.
 

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