Mother Rachel Rebecca Mills Dupree

Rachel Rebecca Mills Dupree was born on August 31, 1921, in Washington, Pennsylvania. She was the youngest child born of fourteen children to District Elder Walter Lemon Mills and Hattie Amelia Black Mills. Seven of Rachel’s siblings died from pneumonia, and seven lived a full life. Rachel’s parents had a strong faith in God. Rachel contracted pneumonia when she was a baby and was healed. As an adult, Rachel refused to take pneumonia or flu shots but chose to put her faith in God for her healing, and subsequently lived to be ninety-eight years old.

Rachel grew up in Washington, Pennsylvania, and attended Trinity High School. She completed the ninth grade but had to leave school, to work during the Depression, to help support her family. On her 90th birthday, Rachel was awarded an honorary diploma from Trinity High School.

At the age of nine, Rachel was baptized in Jesus Name, in a creek, and received the Holy Ghost at the age of ten. Rachel’s family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, in the mid-1940s. Rachel and her father and sister, Mabel Edna Mills Johnson, joined the Pentecostal Church of Christ in Cleveland, Ohio, under the leadership of Elder Chelcie C. France. Rachel met her husband, James Ivory Dupree, at church. He sang in the choir, and she joined the choir.

Rachel was employed as a nurse’s aide at University Hospital in the pediatric ward. She continued to work until she married and had her first child. Rachel and James Dupree were married on October 23, 1948 and from that union, God blessed them with four children: Melvin Ivory, Shirley Jean, Ronald Eugene, and Beverly Ann.

Mother Rachel Dupree loved her Pentecostal Church of Christ family. She served faithfully in the choir, singing tenor, under the leadership of Elder Chelcie C. France, and later under the leadership of Elder Claudia Ray, and Elder Earle S. Fisher, at 89th and Beckman. Later she served under the leadership of Bishop Charles W. Watkins for many years at 887 Parkwood Drive. Mother Dupree served faithfully on the Mother’s Board, under the leadership of Bishop J. Delano Ellis II, at 10515 Chester Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Rachel Dupree enjoyed life! She loved to travel and she loved to sing. Rachel loved to watch Family Feud, and wrestling, and listen to Elvis Pressley sing. But above all, she loved God more. The name, “Rachel” has a great meaning. The Hebrew name, which roughly translated in English, means “gentle as a lamb”. Rachel was truly a gentle soul.

Rachel Rebecca Dupree departed from this world on Thursday, January 9, 2020. She leaves to mourn and celebrate her life, four children, Melvin Ivory Dupree (Denise Evelyn Dupree), Shirley Jean Harrell Williams (Albert Williams), Ronald Eugene Dupree, Sr., and Beverly Ann Conner (George W. Conner, Jr.); ten grandchildren, April, Ronald Eugene Dupree, Jr., Rhonda Denise Harrell, Rosalynn Nicole Harrell, Tyrone Lamont Conner, Carolyn Ann Conner, Rainnah Joyce Conner, Ricardo Desan Dupree, Alexis Nicole Dupree, and Angelica Monae Dupree; Six great-grandchildren, Ronald Eugene Dupree, 3rd, Devon Norman Harrell Benson, Ariyah Diane Alaya Dupree, Jermani Michele Preston, Hai’keen Dashun Preston, Jr., Kennedi Mone’t White, and a host of relatives and friends.

Lovingly Submitted by the Family

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