Rachel Robinson Bair of Enola passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 29, 2021. She was 76.
Rachel was the loving wife of Jack L. Bair. Born in Harrisburg on November 20, 1945, she was the daughter of the late George R. and Virginia G. Robinson. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children through marriage and their spouses, Steve and Carol Bair, Don and Heather Bair, Jackie and Paul Firuta; her eight grandchildren, Stefanie and Brandon Bair, Benjamin, Anna, and Max Bair, Joseph, Matthew and Michael Firuta, and great grandchild, Kenneth Bair. She is survived by her brother and best friend, John K. Robinson and wife Susanne; her nephew Matthew Robinson and wife Marylee; her cherished niece Sarah Darnley; her great nephews, Ian Robinson, Cole Darnley and great niece and namesake Chloe Rachel Elizabeth Darnley. She is preceded in death by a brother, Michael Robinson.
After graduating from William Penn Senior High School and Shippensburg State College, Rachel began teaching chemistry at Susquehanna Township High School, where she taught until her retirement in 1996. She loved to travel, and through a Rotary Foundation Fellowship she studied at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She also spent a year in Alice Springs, North Territory, Australia, as an educator at St. Phillips College. She continued to travel with family and friends, taking several trips to Europe, driving across country through the United States, cruising in the Caribbean and on the Danube with Jack.
A longtime member of Market Square Presbyterian Church, Rachel was an ordained Deacon and Elder and was a dedicated volunteer in the church offices. She was chair of the Membership Committee and coordinated the church’s participation in the CROP Walks to benefit hunger relief. For many years, Rachel baked bread and prepared the table for Communion services. With other Deacons she planned and prepared many church receptions and meals.
Rachel loved shopping, quilting, collecting Santas, reading, golf, nature and champagne. She was a wonderful friend to many. Most of all, Rachel loved and was devoted to her family. She attended numerous concerts, plays, sporting events, graduations, and family gatherings, always ready with her camera to capture the moment. She enjoyed a beautiful and happy marriage to Jack, supporting and caring for him. She was loved greatly and will be missed immeasurably.
A memorial service is scheduled for March 5, 2022 at 11:00 am at Market Square Presbyterian Church, 20 S. Second Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation online at www.jdrf.org/donate, or to Market Square Presbyterian Church, marked “Worship, Music, and the Arts.”
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