Rachel B. Tanner

Rachel B. Tanner
July 9, 1922 - October 31, 2014
Rachel Barnes Tanner passed away peacefully and gracefully on October 31, 2014 at the age of 92 at Plantation Place in Boise, Idaho. She will be dearly missed. We will always remember her as our mom, sister, auntie, grandma, grand Rachel, grandma great and great auntie.
Rachel was born July 9, 1922 in Eye, Suffolk, England. She had a lifelong love of classical music, art, and literature; faithfully attending concerts, galleries, readings and plays. She enjoyed writing and even published her own autobiography.
During WWII Rachel served as a nurse in London and as a radio operator with the Women's Army. Following the war she lived in New Zealand and Canada. She achieved a Master's Degree in Library Science and moved to Xenia, Ohio where she served as a librarian at Antioch College and Wilberforce University. Rachel had a passion for travel. Visiting her family and friends always was at the top of the list.
In 1959, Rachel married Howard Tanner, a widower, and became an instant parent to two teenage sons, Don and Fred. Her daughter Hilary was born in 1960. Becoming a mother later in life brought her great joy. After Howard's death in 1973, Rachel began working on a Master's in Social Work. In those years she helped establish the Hospice of Dayton, Ohio and led bereavement support groups. It was then that Rachel started taking seriously her natural talent for humor. It directly inspired her second Master's Degree thesis: The Last Humanist: Humor in Social Work.
Leaving Ohio, she first moved to Bellingham, Washington and then to Lummi Island, just off its shore—a place she deeply loved. She met Al Neece and moved with him to the Boise area where she spent her last years. Their shared love of humor and travel was only matched by their love for each other. Rachel conducted hundreds of hours of humor workshops, volunteered with Hospice and found time to be a good friend to many. She was also a faithful volunteer with the Log Cabin literacy program.
Following Al's death she lived at PEO Chapter House and finally, Plantation Place. Though dementia began separating Rachel from us in the last few years, she could still crack a joke or a smile that warmed our hearts.
Rachel was preceded in death by her mother and father, Isabel Barnes (nee Bartlett) and Henry Edgar Barnes, respectively, her husband Howard, her long time partner Al Neece, sisters Elizabeth and Lavinia, and brothers Robert, Michael and Chris. She is survived by her daughter Hilary (Randy) Friedrich, and sons Don (Liz) Tanner and Fred (Elly) Tanner, eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She adored her family and was so proud of each of them. Thank you to the many friends who showed so much love to Rachel. A special thank you is extended to Margie Friend, XL Hospice and staff of Plantation Place for their loving attention and care of Rachel.
A memorial service will take place at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Boise Friday November 14th at 2:00 pm. Condolences may be shared at www.dakanfuneralchapel.com
Flowers are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to a non- profit hospice or St Stephens Children's Program or charity of choice.