Rachael K. Payton was a loving wife, mother, daughter, and sister. She had a sense of humor like no other, and often joked that sarcasm was her super power. Rachael worked at NSWCDD in Dahlgren, VA, and was greatly loved and appreciated by the team she worked with. She was kind-hearted, loyal, and accepted and loved everyone for who they were. She didn’t mince words and would kindly let you know when you were “being a jerk.” She was quick to defend those she loved and cared for. On January 19, Rachael suffered a heart attack. She underwent quadruple bypass surgery on January 20, and we all thought she was on her way to recovery over the weekend. On Monday, January 23, she had complications with one of the bypasses from that surgery and was medically evacuated to another hospital. There, she was added to the transplant list and received a heart transplant on January 28. Sadly, due to some complications that arose, she passed away on January 29, surrounded by her loved ones. She is survived by her husband, Earl, and two young boys, Duke (age 6), and Koa (age 3), as well as her mother, siblings, many nieces and nephews, and neighbors and community that loved her. If you would like to make a contribution to the family, they will assistance them in paying for her medical bills and funeral expenses, as well as any other living expenses until her affairs are settled. Thank you for considering this donation and for your prayers for the family.
