Rachel Louise (Murphy) Arnette

Rachel Murphy Arnette, 93, of Pink Hill passed away on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Arnette; son Glenn Arnette; parents, Herman and Sadie Murphy; and brother, Randolph Murphy and wife Ann.

Rachel is survived by her daughter, Debra Arnette Howard and husband Keith; sister, Linda Murphy Smith and husband, Buster; and daughter-in-law, Terri Arnette. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Derrick Arnette (Amanda), Robyn Swinson (T.J.), Brandon James (Amber), Andrew Arnette (Haley), and Kevin James (Rhonda); great-grandchildren, Caleb Arnette, Eli Arnette, Kelsi Swinson, Kellynn Swinson, Korbin Swinson, Everhett James, Holland James, Greyson Arnette, Reece Thompson, several nieces and nephews, and many special friends.

Rachel loved her family fiercely and made it abundantly clear in not only her words, but also in her actions. Her kitchen was a place where you could fill your belly with a delicious meal, fill your soul with love and laughter, and where the cookie jar was never empty.

If you drove down Murphy Road, there is no doubt you witnessed her tinkering in her yard, weeding her flower beds, cutting grass, or raking leaves. Never one to sit idle, when the weather didn’t allow her to be outside, she found ways to pour into the lives of others, whether that was preparing a pot of soup for a sick community member, baking cakes for the local assisted living residents, or sewing. Over the years, Rachel sewed and donated nearly 600 dresses and pillowcases to orphanages in Haiti.

Rachel’s love for her family was only surpassed by her love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She made it her life’s mission to not only teach her family about the Lord, but to ensure each one of us had a relationship with Him. Because of this, we have the promise of seeing her again one day.

The family would like to express their gratitude for the kind, compassionate, and loving care provided to Rachel during her final days by the nurses, doctors, patient care techs, and respiratory therapists of ECU Health Duplin and ECU Health Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to www.loveachild.com – a nonprofit Christian Humanitarian Organization serving the needs of children in Haiti.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 -3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Pink Hill Funeral Home with funeral service following the visitation. Burial will be held at Oak Ridge Memorial Park in Pink Hill. The family will receive friends at other times at the home of her grandson, Brandon James.

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