Rachel was born March 6, 1973, at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and as a military “brat” she lived in five states before moving to Davis in third grade. She graduated from Davis Senior High School in 1991 where she played varsity soccer and volleyball. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Santa Clara University in 1995 and completed a semester abroad in Vienna, Austria.
After graduation she worked in public relations and marketing in the field of technology. Her responsibilities included several trips to Japan to set up and work in related trade shows.
She married Robert Peres in San Jose, Calif., on Sept. 17, 2000. She and Rob have two children: Evan Edward, 7, and Katherine Grace, 5. As a family they loved traveling to Hawaii and various places within California, e.g., Disneyland, Legoland.
Before her diagnosis, Rachel was active in the Hacienda Elementary School parent group and volunteering in her children's classroom.
Rachel was the only granddaughter of the late Edward and Fern Dickerson of rural Parsons. She spent several summers on the farm as well as other vacations.
Other survivors include her mother, Linda Dickerson Brant, of Davis, Calif.; her stepfather, William Brant and his wife, Barbara, of Evergreen, Colo.; her stepmother, Lesley Funk of Yuba City,Calif.; her brothers, Ryan Brant (Tiffany) of Woodland, Calif., Dan Brant (Lindsay) of Edmund, Okla., Jon Brant of Seattle; nieces and nephews, Finley and Josephine Brant of Woodland, Sophia, Grayson and Noah Brant of Edmund, Okla.; maternal aunts, Mary Dee Dickerson of San Jose and Nancy (Dut) Whetzel of Pueblo, Colo.; and Gene and Barbara Dickerson of Oswego.
She was preceded in death by her father, Warren K. Funk.
A celebration of life will be Saturday at the Church of the Chimes in San Jose, Calif.
In lieu of flowers, rememberances may be sent to Caring Bridge, Be the Match Foundation.
Chapel of the Angels in Fremont, Calif., is in charge of arrangements.
Post a Comment