Rachel's Obituary

Dr. Rachel Andrea Nash passed away in her home in the early morning hours of April 24th (Easter Sunday). Rachel passed quietly, peacefully, and without pain—all that we could have hoped. Rachel leaves behind a strong and truly remarkable network of family and friends, too numerous to mention individually, though let it be stated that she loved them all very dearly. Rachel is survived by her beautiful son, Dashiell “Dash” Reid, and loving husband and partner, Cameron Reid. Also, her ferociously dedicated mother, Sharon Nash; father, William Goodu; devoted sister, Willow Yamauchi, and Willow’s family, Ron, Flynn, and Sophie. Blessed with an enormous family, and extended family, that included many aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, cousins, and in-laws—a special call-out to brother-cousin John Goddu, grandma Fay Goddu, and the Reid family of Toronto, Jeanne, Don, Scott, and Derek, who loved Rachel like one of their own, from the very beginning—Rachel’s reach in life was far and wide, extending to her many treasured friends, among them, Angela, Heather, Karen, Carolyn, Lu, Kay, Jenifer, Inga, Leah, Ashok, and her brother-in-arms Martin Whittles—all of whom walked by her side through good and bad times. She is predeceased by Kenneth Law, her beloved adopted father.

Rachel was born in New Westminster, BC, in August 1969. A child of hippies, Rachel grew up in the West Coast counter-culture scene, moving from Vancouver to Powell River, and places still further removed and remote along the BC coast—‘off-grid,’ as they say. Her life took her from float-houses to nudist clubs, from fire walks to encounter groups. Still, of course, she endured; she prospered. A graduate of Simon Fraser University and the University of Waterloo (MA, PhD), Rachel was involved in student journalism and politics in her undergraduate days, but eventually found a home in academic life, becoming a well-respected colleague and scholar, with a particular penchant for collaborative practices in a profession that tends to promote the individual above the whole.

Rachel was a bright light, a spark. A bookish eldest daughter and grandchild, Rachel matured into a magnificent mother, a leader, a superlative educator, and truly extraordinary human being. She was known for her humor, her big laugh; also, her keen insight and buoyant spirit. But Rachel’s special gift was an ability to meet people on their own terms, in ways unique to that person. The honest and heartfelt connections she could generate, seemingly at will, with most everyone she came in contact with, would, at the end of the day, become a truly defining feature of her life. She was loved by everyone who knew her, and who relied so greatly on her friendship and often timely counsel; her passing is felt deeply by many. Put simply, the loss is immense.

Rachel’s memorial service will be held in the Grand Hall, Campus Activity Centre, at Thompson Rivers University, in Kamloops, at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rachel’s memory to the Callanish Society www.callanish.org, a non-profit organization providing healing retreats and support programs for people living with cancer—an organization which had become very important to Rachel late in her life—or the Rachel Nash Memorial Bursary www.tru.ca/foundation/giving.html for women studying in the areas of language, composition, or communication.