Rachel Hager was born on March 9, 1929, in Barberton, Ohio, to George and Margaret Boyer. She grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she attended the Gospel Tabernacle (now First Alliance Church) and met her husband, Clarence Hager.
On June 9, 1951, Rachel married Clarence, who became an ordained minister with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. For over 50 years, she served tirelessly as a pastor’s wife in Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, New York, and Alabama. Of the myriad roles she played, Rachel thrived the most as a church pianist, organist, and Bible class teacher.
Although Rachel semi-retired with Clarence in 1996 when he became the associate pastor of Elberta Alliance Church (now Church of the Shores), they both continued to work into their 90s. Late in life they became coordinators of Alliance Marriage Encounter, where they drew on the strength of their 70-year marriage to counsel others. They also helped expand that ministry from Alabama to Florida, New York, Montana, Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes as well as internationally to Chile and Côte d’Ivoire.
A formidable woman who could master anything she put her mind to, Rachel was also an expert seamstress, a master gardener, and a professional financial planner. She proudly lived to 95 and is survived by her daughters, Sandi (Scot) Beier, Holly Hager (John Paul Nichols), her son, Doug (Sharon) Hager, her brother Donald (Priscilla) Boyer, 8 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. Her husband, her brothers, Paul and Robert Boyer, as well as her granddaughter, Stephanie Pennington, preceded her in death.
Friends called from 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Foley. Services were held at the Church of the Shores at 10 a.m. on Nov. 30 with interment at Lay Cemetery in Miflin.
