Rachel was born February 24, 1926, in China while her parents were doing missionary work.  As a young child her family returned to the states where she grew up on a dairy farm on Hill Road in Watervliet.  Rachel enjoyed square dancing as a young woman and through Jr. Farm Bureau's square dancing club she met Emil Ross.  Emil and Rachel would marry and enjoy many years raising their four children together.  Rachel drove bus for many years for Berrien RESA, she enjoyed playing Skip Bo and being an active member of her church Calvary Bible.

Rachel's greatest joy was her family which includes: her children David Ross of Watertown, South Dakota, Becky (Rick) Peppel of Benton Harbor, Dan (Nancy) Ross of Benton Harbor, and Heidi (Dan) Peppel of Roanoke, Virginia; seven grandchildren Brandon, Lisa, Matthew, Emily, Joel, Aaron, and Colleen; three sisters Andrea Bower, Esther Freed, and Betty Servers; and many nieces and nephews.

Rachel died Monday, January 1.  Her loving husband Emil Ross, three siblings Alice Mast, Robert Sonneberg, and Elanore Kling, and her parents Robert and Alice Sonnenberg precede Rachel in death.  Friends may visit with Rachel's family Thursday, January 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet.  Funeral services will be celebrated Friday, January 5, at 10:00 AM at Calvary Bible Church on Territorial Road in Benton Harbor.  Burial will follow in North Shore Memory Gardens in Hagar Shores.  You are invited to leave a message for Rachel's family at hutchinsfuneral.com