Rae Reta Peel, 83, passed away on September 22, 2023.
Rae Reta Meyers was born in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, NY, on Jan. 28, 1940, to David Leopold Meyers and Marion Agnes (Silverstein) Meyers. She moved with her family to Atlanta before the age of two. For high school, she attended Forest Lake Academy in Florida, and then Collegedale Academy in Collegedale. It was at Collegedale Academy that she met James Peel, her recently deceased husband of 64 years, as she worked as an accompanist for his voice lessons. She graduated from Collegedale Academy in May 1958, the same year James graduated from Southern Missionary College on the same campus. In August of that year, they were married. Her first career was as wife and mother, first in Pell City, Al. and then for 20 years in Fletcher, NC. She additionally worked as a church musician for various denominations. In 1982, she and James became a singing evangelist team for the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. She was always most comfortable at the piano keyboard. She and James moved to several towns to serve churches: in Houma, La., Kingsport, Tn. and finally Ellijay, Ga. They moved to Ooltewah in retirement. Rae Reta was the musician for Simpson United Methodist Church in Rossville until her death.
Survivors include two sons, Gerald Peel (Susan) and Michael Peel (Lisa); daughter, Cindy Peel Lemon (Jeff); cousin, Kevin Costello (Teresa); seven grandchildren, Christopher Peel, Michael David Peel, Matthew Peel, Heather Peel Orvek (David), Shawn Lemon, Jordan Lemon and Kiona Costello; as well as great-grandchild Ivy Peel.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, with visitation beginning at 3 p.m. at McDonald Road Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 5440 McDonald Road in McDonald, TN.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Fletcher Academy's Peel Family Scholarship Fund at: https://fletcheracademy.org/give/ or mail to: PO Box 5440; Fletcher, NC 28732.
Share a personal memory of Rae Reta or your condolences with her family at her online memorial at www.compaionfunerals.com.
Companion Funeral Home of Cleveland and the Cody family are honored to assist the family with these arrangements.