Rachael Ann Mahaffey

Rachael Ann Mahaffey, 72, of Grinnell, IA passed away on June 19, 2025, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Rachael was born on September 9, 1952, to Russell Mahaffey and Bonnie J. Mahaffey. She was raised alongside her siblings, Michael and Heidi. Rachael graduated from East Greene High School in the class of 1970. During high school, she spent a summer studying in Denmark.
Rachael attended the University of Alabama in 1970, where she was a member of the marching band. She was an avid fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide Football Program. During her time in Alabama, she met legendary Head Football Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who was pleasantly surprised that the young girl from Iowa was such a passionate and informed Crimson Tide Fan. Coach invited Rachael and her father, Russell, to attend a practice at the team's facility and would graciously welcome her at his office when she stopped to visit on occasion. Coach Bryant and his wife were so kind to have her as a guest at their home when Rachael wanted to introduce one of her college classmates to the esteemed Coach. Those experiences made a lasting impression on Rachael. She often reminded her son, Ryan, with unrivaled enthusiasm, of a quote attributed to Bear Bryant - "If you want to walk the heavenly streets of gold, you have to know the password, 'Roll, Tide, Roll'."
Rachael graduated from nursing school with honors from Marshalltown Community College in 1991. She finished her professional career at Grinnell Mutual, working as a claims adjuster for 13 years. She loved the work atmosphere at Grinnell Mutual, developing many close relationships with her coworkers. She looked forward to the Pinochle games at lunch, getting the latest updates on her coworkers' families, enjoying the ice-cold Mountain Dew, and talking about her son's upcoming football games.
Rachael lived her life with compassion, an infectious sense of humor, a fun-loving personality, and unequivocally on her own terms. As a Baby Boomer, she had a deep sense of appreciation for our military, endlessly learning granular details about our armed services. With a sharp mind, equipped with an incredible memory, she recalled military facts, dates, and names with biting precision and historical context.
To know Rachael meant you understood her love for music. She shared a deep, meaningful connection with artists spanning many decades of music. She attended multiple concerts, including seeing The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills, and Nash, John Mellencamp, Ozzie Osbourne, Carole King, Neil Young, The Band, Kiss, Tony Bennett, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, and, perhaps arguably, her favorite band, AC/DC 8 times in concert.
While Rachael had many passions, without question, her most cherished role was being a mother to her son. She doted on him with endless care, cooking the most fantastic meals, showering him with endless love, exposing him to the arts, and beaming with pride at his school and athletic events. She celebrated all of his milestones, telling him with great conviction that she was his life's greatest cheerleader.
Indeed, whether it was at his choir concerts, his games, the plays, birthday celebrations, or in the quiet hours of their home, Rachael encouraged and challenged him to be the best version of himself, instilling the conviction he could truly do anything he set his mind to. She told him to follow his dreams, which she described lied "somewhere between Grinnell and the Heavens." That belief in himself, ignited and nurtured by a mother who lovingly devoted her life to him, still burns bright.
Rachael is preceded by her parents, Russell and Bonnie. She is survived by her son, Ryan (Molly), her grandchildren (Trace, Jordan "JoJo", Sterling), her Siblings -Michael Mahaffey (Patti) and Heidi Nelson (Tom) - her nieces and nephews (Matthew, Mary, P.J., Molly, Becca, and Seth), her Uncle and Aunt – Glen and Shirley Lookingbill, and multiple great nieces/nephews, and cousins.
We can all aspire to love our family, friends, children, grandchildren, our hobbies, and the vagaries of life as deeply and earnestly as Rachael. She will be sorely missed.
A private family memorial will be held at a later date.