Rachel Sheffield Bickley Speicher's Obituary
Rachel Sheffield Bickley Speicher, 94, passed away on Sunday, October 11, 2015. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2015, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home in Perry. Funeral Services will be on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at Marshallville United Methodist Church. Entombment will be in the family mausoleum in Marshallville City Cemetery immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial donations be made to Marshallville United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 186, Marshallville, GA 31057.
Mrs. Speicher was born and raised in Colquitt, Georgia, and was the eldest of four children born to the late Corra Houston and John Walter Sheffield. She and her 3 siblings shared a remarkable bond that remained a blessing throughout their entire lives. Upon graduating from Miller County High School, Rachel went on to get her teaching degree from the Georgia Teachers College in Statesboro, Georgia. She was assigned to teach in Macon County, Georgia, where she met and married Alton Murray Bickley with whom she had 2 sons, Alton, Junior and John Sheffield Bickley. While living in Marshallville, Georgia, with her husband and raising her boys, Rachel taught in the Peach and Macon County school systems and was named Headmaster of Beechwood School in Marshallville. She was a tremendously strong believer in the importance of community service and proved her passion by serving on the City Council of Marshallville and acting as Mayor of Marshallville. She enjoyed being an active member of the Marshallville Garden Club and Marshallville United Methodist Church.
After losing her husband Alton, Rachel met and married Paul Speicher. She moved to enjoy her life with him in Delray Beach, Florida, in 1980. Upon marrying Paul, she embraced his family as if they were her own, and they, in turn, embraced her all the way up to the time of her death. She was always an active, adventurous soul and took great pleasure in travel, her tennis game, her book club, and her legions of friends. While in Delray Beach, Rachel was elected the first woman president of the Delray Beach Club, was a faithful member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and was a proud supporter of the St. Paul's thrift shop. In later life, Rachel moved to Macon, Georgia, to be closer to her family and was a resident of Carlyle Place. Her family much treasured having their beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister close to them geographically in the final years of her life. Rachel was predeceased by her husband, Alton M. Bickley; her husband, Paul W. Speicher, a brother, John W. Sheffield, Jr., and her sister, Dorothy S. Sammon.
The family will be forever grateful for the loving care provided to their dear Rachel by Ruthie Johnson, Annie Brown, Danielle Richardson, and Erica Porter.
Left to cherish the memories of Rachel are her her sons, Alton M. Bickley, Jr. (Terri), and John S. Bickley (Sally); her grandchildren, John S. Bickley, Jr. (Erin), Joseph K. Bickley, Alton M. Bickley, III, and Amy R. Bickley; 3 great-grandchildren, Kathryn R. Bickley, Ella S. Bickley, and John S. Bickley, III; and her brother, Scott Sheffield (Nancy).
Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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