Rachel Melody Shuler

RACHEL MELODY (CROSS) SHULER, 64, of Winfield, W.Va., the youngest daughter of Dorsel and Ella Cross, and proud grandmother of triplets, died August 22, 2019, at University of Kentucky Hospital. She was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Cross Nicely; and her parents. She was born in Newark, Ohio, but moved to West Virginia at 6 months. A graduate of Herbert Hoover High School, she worked at Tandy Leather and several other jobs before a long stay at C & P Telephone, AT&T, now Verizon. She became disabled with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia after the birth of her second child, which led to many joint replacements, spontaneous bone breaks, a triple bypass and chronic pain, but that is not the sum of her story. Rachel never gave in to the pain, but raised her two sons, Daniel and Joseph, while volunteering at all levels of their education, painting murals for the schools, designing yearbooks, innovating book bags for classroom chairs and becoming the Putnam County Volunteer of the Year. She was an advocate for disability and fought successfully to get handicapped parking in Putnam County schools, restaurants and other businesses on behalf of those who could not speak up. Her joy in her final years has been taking care of the triplets almost every day from birth to now age 7. Rachel approached everyone with curiosity and good humor, open to friendship and a heart for helping without complaining of her pain. With her sisters, she applied sewing to many projects, including countless quilts, bags for cornhole games and purse designs. Her bucket list of visiting all 50 states started with Alaska and was up to 49 in the months before her death. She was blessed with sons, Daniel Shuler and wife Tonya, of Teays Valley, and Joseph Shuler, of Charlotte, N.C.; and sisters, Rita Cross Dale, of Winfield, and Ramona Cross Trippy, of Lincolnton, N.C. Other family includes triplet grandchildren, William "Liam" John, Finn Stephen and Melody Jane Shuler; niece, Janis Nicely; nephew, Ned and wife Monica Miller; nephew, Charles "Chuck" and wife Jessica Dale; niece, Natoshia Miller and partner Jeremy; many great-nieces and nephews; and lifelong friends Eve Faulkes, Andrea Barido Woodard and Betty Corsaro. Services will be Saturday, August 31, at Valley Park Community Center at 1 Valley Park Drive in Hurricane, W.Va. Visitation with the family will start at 12 p.m. and the Celebration of Life will take place at 1:30 p.m. Donations to the Hurricane High School Art and Soccer programs in lieu of flowers are preferred and can be made to Hurricane High School, c/o Principal P.E. McClanahan, 3350 Teays Valley Road, Hurricane WV 25526. Please specify which program(s) you would like to receive your donations. Stories, photos and videos that you would like to include in the service can be emailed to rememberingrachel2019@gmail.com. Chapman Funeral Home, family-owned and located at 3941 Teays Valley Road, Hurricane is honored to serve the Shuler family.