Christine Redding Rath
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Christine Redding Rath, wife of 46 years to Robert Rath Jr.; mother to Taylor Rath Deutschle; and grandmother to Lucas Robert Deutschle and Sarah Stratford Deutschle, who were the light of her life.
Chris returned to her heavenly home on Saturday. She valiantly fought ALS each day of the last 12 years, during which she never complained and always found a reason to celebrate. The joy she found in her family and friends, her love of life and learning, and her unwavering belief in God supported her in her struggle and ultimately gave her peace.
Chris was born to the late June and John Redding in Arlington, Va., on Nov. 2, 1950. She attended Cedar Crest College and graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in Business Administration. She then earned her Master's degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
On April 3, 1971, in Metuchen, N.J., Chris married the great love of her life, Bob. She mothered her only child, Taylor, with unending patience and fierce devotion. She inspired her family and everyone she met to live each moment to it's absolute fullest and to love one another unconditionally.
Chris found deep and abiding joy in being a member of the community at the Chautauqua Institution, as well as Sewickley Presbyterian Church. She would want us to remember the lessons learned together in each of these special places and to “pass it on.”
Chris is survived by her husband, Robert; her daughter, Taylor, and son-in-law, Jonathan; her beloved grandchildren, Lucas and Sarah; her sisters, Greer Redding Fleisher and Carol Poshpeck; her brother, Keith Redding; her many treasured nieces and nephews; and a host of dear friends whom she claimed as her “sisterhood.”
She was preceded in death by her parents, June and John; and her sister, Jacqueline Casey.
RATH — The Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, located at 124 East North St., Butler, PA 16001, will be hosting visitation hours for Christine Redding Rath, who died Saturday, April 29, 2017, on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. The following day, Christine will be interred in a private ceremony at the North Side Cemetery in Butler.In honor of Chris' passion for charitable giving, the family asks that donations be made to Live Like Lou (livelikelou.org), a Pittsburgh-based foundation that aims to raise awareness of ALS, provides care and comfort to ALS patients and their families in Western Pennsylvania, and supports scientific research targeted at finding a cure.Online condolences can be given at www.thompson-miller.com.
