She Will Forever Be Loved

Rachel Matos

1947

2022

Remembering Rachel

This site was created in memory of Rachel Matos, Our loving Mother, Grandmother, Sister and Wife.

Story

Born in New York

NOVEMBER 26, 1947

Share Your Memory of Rachel

Rachel Matos, 74, of Paterson New Jersey, formerly of Hackensack, raised in the Bronx, New York, by her Father Benito Matos and Tomasa
Lopez-Matos of Puerto Rico, passed on Wednesday, February 9th 2022.

Rachel truly lived a selfless life of service and gratitude. As a young woman through retirement, she spent over 50 years dedicated to Social Work starting shelters for battered women, shelters for the homeless, assistance to immigrants and migrant workers whilst also helping men and women re-enter society. She spent the latter part of her career, helping the elderly with little or no family gain access to services and benefits many didn’t know were available without her
help.

She raised four sons Danilee, Charles, Michael and David. She has three granddaughters Tyler Lea, Tatiana Love, and Adelaide and three grandsons, Tristan, Greyson, and Jaxen. Rachel was the dear middle sister of Yolanda and Miriam.

Her heart was always full of joy and happiness, in a world that can be so brutal for many to bare. Rachel was a warrior for love and wanted to fight for those who couldn't do for themselves in anyway she could. Rachel expressed her love for life through art, music, novels and most of all dancing Salsa.

Growing up in the Bronx, she would steal the show with her long hair and long legs, dancing front and center with her family and friends to her mom's favorite 'Celia Cruz.' She won first place dancing awards in famous clubs like, The Palladium, The Copacabana and even Studio 54 with bands and legends like Hector Lavoe and Willie Colon.

As a young adult of immigrant parents, she studied sociology and started working as an administrative assistant in Publishing to further her professional advancements. Rachel still had time to make Salsa life.

In 1973 she married Barry Watkins also from the Bronx and moved to Hackensack, New Jersey where she really began to work with the community at all levels to ensure programs for those in need were being utilized no matter the cost on her personal life, but never at the expense of dancing Salsa.

Now at The Bergen Community Action Program, Rachel was able to make an impactful difference in so many people’s lives, both personally and professionally. Walking to work or to take her son to school in town, people would shout her name from across a street “ Hi Rachel, Thank you Rachel we Love you Rachel” because she truly was your friend and Social Worker no matter who were.

She loved the late Charles Bender, of Hoboken New Jersey who suffered from an early unexpected death while Charlie Bender his son, was yet to be born. Rachel now single mother with another on the way, still working full time, met Jeffrey Peck of North Bergen New Jersey, living on the back of his motorcycle yet dedicating all of his time to the youth at the local YMCA in Hackensack.

Rachel and Jeff became close friends and started to enjoy the local outdoors in the Hudson Valley NY as a family. Rachel helped Jeff as well, seek employment and even an education in Nursing all through county and state programs, the same ones he’s at today as the President of a local nurse’s union right here in Paramus, New Jersey.

Jeffrey and Rachel, married in 1985 on a lake in between the mountains in Harriman State Park. Her eldest son Danilee who brought them together, gave her away at a beautiful wedding post hurricane with no electricity, but plenty of batteries to play their Wedding theme “ Endless Love ” by Lionel Ritchie

Rachel read over 1,000 books, mostly romance novels, but formally studied Sociology at Hunter College in Manhattan and later received her degree at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey.

She also loved God and the mysticism of religion. Was an early adopter of Yoga and Buddhism and although was a devout Catholic and raised her 4 boys the same. She believed in the scriptures of Judaism and really enjoyed Christian Spirituality where she would pray with her Sisters Circle early every single morning before starting her day of service to the community.

Rachel loved good food and feeding people, she used to make cakes for every occasion, just tell her a theme and she’d have a cake for you. Many also know her for always wearing High Heels and Hats, being so classy and beautiful in red and purple coordinated with shoes, sashes and her hats.

Everywhere Rachel was, people would wave and call her name and she would smile with love and joy to see her friends and family in the community safe, fed and healthy. She truly was a servant to the people which gave her joy. Unfortunately, a life of hard work and service to community, raising four boys, who served in the military, completed college and had illustrious assorted careers and wonderful grandchildren, became a lot for her body to manage.

She retired at 70 from social work and began to focus more on her health and relaxation. Traveled around the country seeing her family and friends and really just enjoyed music and good food, something she really didn’t have time or the appetite for in her 50 years of service.

Rachel gracefully left her body with two of her sons and husband by her side, with all the love and happiness in her heart. Yes, she was happy and was not in pain, in the grace of God, Rachel Matos lives in heaven and in all of our hearts here on earth forever.

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