Rachel Little Lanthorn

Laura Rachel Little Lanthorn was a dancer all her life. She began by teaching herself tap steps on a piece of plywood in her parents' den. Years later she studied with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, and with tap legend Henry LaTang and jazz dancer Daniel Tinazzi. She also studied tap and jazz at Steps in New York. Rachel taught for Elenor Humphreys at Colonial Heights School of Dance, and for Susan Pace White at Intercity Ballet in Johnson City, where she led little children's combination classes in acrobatics, ballet, and tap, and adult classes in tap and jazz.

Rachel was born on April 22, 1951, and died peacefully on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, at her home surrounded by her family.

Rachel loved her family with unabashed exuberance and great joy. She and her beloved husband Wayne shared a love of Hawaii together, travelling there as often as possible for anniversary celebrations. She delighted in her two grandchildren: in her grandson Cahill's tenderness of heart and mechanical brain, and her namesake granddaughter Rachel's love of singing and dancing. Throughout their lives together, she taught her family lovea€"and the greatest of these is love.

Rachel always considered her main career to be motherhood. She raised up a daughter and taught her many things. She taught the tastes of home cooking, from ribbon-winning breads to her favorite coconut cake. She taught strong appreciation for tradition and family heritage, and was always proud of her father Tom's humble gentleness, spirit of encouragement, and wisdom. She taught the desire for education and learning, as the keys to independence, choice, and fulfillment in work life. She taught the deep wonder and power of God's grace and unending love. And she taught the freedom to question, which led to an even deeper faith in Jesus Christ for her daughter and herself.

Rachel was a member of Colonial Heights United Methodist Church nearly all of her life, later transferring her membership to First Broad Street United Methodist Church. She navigated life with an abiding faith in God and strong spiritual sense of the nature of His love, the depth of His grace, and the power of His guiding hand in her life and the lives of those around her. She nurtured family, friends, and strangers in varying degrees towards a deeper relationship with God through her living example of Christ's love and in the honesty with which she shared her life and faith stories with others.

Above all, Rachel was someone who was full of life. She taught us how to live. She adored and was adored by her family.

Rachel died after a prolonged medical struggle. Throughout this time, she displayed resilience, persistence, humor and great strength.

Rachel was preceded in death by her parents, Paris Tom Little and Doris Christine Little.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. B. Wayne Lanthorn; her daughter, Dr. Hannah B. Harvey and husband Joe Harvey; her two grandchildren, Joseph Cahill Harvey and Rachel Catherine Harvey; her sister, Jane Adams and husband, Roy Adams; several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and lifelong friend Martha Bates Tant. The family is grateful to the caregivers, medical providers, and Hospice nurses who provided such excellent care during her illness.

The funeral service will be held on Sunday at 4:00 pm at First Broad Street United Methodist Church with Rev. Joe Green and The Rev. Jack P. Weikel officiating. The family will receive friends following the funeral service.