Rachel Jeanpierre Leslie

Rachel JeanPierre Leslie, 60, born on September 14, 1958, in Marigot, Dominica, passed away October 2, 2018. She resided in Rosemead, California at the time of her passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Glendale, California. Rachel was born the seventh of eleven children to Gems and Agatha JeanPierre. She was affectionately called "Rachie" by many and "Chichie" by her siblings and parents. From the very beginning she was a very outspoken and inquisitive child that always stood up for what she believed in, even at the cost of a spanking. She never backed down from a fight, especially when it came to defending her younger sister Grace. It is believed that Rachel got her strong personality from her father Gems who repeatedly told his children "if there was only one A to be had in the class it better be yours". He also encouraged his children to always be leaders and not followers. Rachel excelled in elementary school and was granted a scholarship to attend high school at the age of 12. True to form, she challenged the nuns on religious ideas while attending the all-girls catholic high school known as Convent. Her father thought it best at that time to transfer her to Dominica Grammar School where she continued to excel both academically and socially and became actively involved in student government.

As a teenager Rachel was actively involved in social causes within her community. After graduating high-school she went to work with the government of Dominica as a medical records clerk. After one year of working she was awarded a scholarship by the government to further her studies in Systems Information on the island of Barbados. There she met her future husband Everton Leslie. Once married, Rachel migrated to the U.S. and was later joined by her husband. From that union was born a son, Anthony Leslie, Rachel's only child whom she adored. She continued her medical records career where she was eventually promoted to a supervising position. In her quest for professional growth she decided that she would return to school to become a nurse.
Rachel graduated from Southwest College in 1991 with her AS in Nursing. After one year of working as a nurse she enrolled in USC and completed her MSN and Family Nurse Practitioner programs in 1995. Rachel often gravitated to working in the underserved communities where she felt there was a greater need for more compassionate and competent clinicians. Realizing a need for more effective wound management in healthcare Rachel decided to pursue her Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing (WOCN) at Emory University in Atlanta. With a nursing career spanning over twenty-five years, Rachel worked in various aspects of her profession including med-surge, family nurse practitioner, home health agency co-owner and manager, and most recently as a clinical educator and director of staff development at San Gabriel Valley Medical Center. She also served as a mentor to newly graduated nurses. Rachel was currently enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University where she was just one class shy of graduating at the time of her passing.

In spite of all her professional accomplishments, Rachel was a humble, down to earth, kind and compassionate woman who carried herself with dignity and class but was never boastful or proud. She never made anyone feel inferior, or demeaned anyone. These qualities she instilled in her son Anthony. Rachel loved the Lord. She was a devout Seventh Day Adventist Christian who held several offices in church including Sabbath school superintendent, youth leader, and elder. Rachel always supported the youth and mentored many young women throughout her life. She believed in the power of prayer, having faith, belonging to a church community and maintaining a positive attitude. Even while facing her personal challenges she kept a cheerful demeanor and always had smile for anyone she met. She loved to laugh, cook, entertain, sing, and be surrounded by her friends and family. Rachel loved to use her comedic sense of humor to make others laugh. She enjoyed working as a nurse but she also liked to have fun. She was a social butterfly who will be remembered for her compassionate, kind, and generous spirit. She loved people, and she was loved by many. She is survived by her son Anthony Leslie, three sisters, seven brothers, three sisters-in-law, numerous nieces and nephews, her church family and a host of other relatives and friends. May her soul rest in peace. She will be truly missed.