Rachael Lawrence

Ancestors

Daughter of Richard Lee Lawrence and Patti (Hadcock) Lawrence

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Biography

Rachael was born in Ohio in 1974, the daughter of two ordained Methodist pastors who had met in seminary at MTSO. In her early life, the family moved around frequently, due to changes in church call. Early childhood homes were in Kirkpatrick, Ohio, Buckhannon, West Virginia, Norwalk, Ohio (two houses!), North Fairfield, Ohio, Bloomville, Ohio, and Republic, Ohio. The family moved to the Utica, New York area when she was in high school.

Rachael attended Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. She majored in voice performance, with a strong interest in opera, musical theater, and music composition. She continued her voice study at the University of Akron, completing a Master in Music in voice performance and completing all but the thesis in a Master of music theory. During her time in Akron, she directed the choir at Firestone Park Christian Church and sang at the Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights.

In 2002, Rachael moved to the Sicangu Lakota Oyate (Rosebud Sioux Reservation) to teach music. In 2004, she married Tabor Fisher. In 2005, they relocated to Herkimer, New York to be near Rachael’s family.

From 2005-2007, Rachael opened a music school in Herkimer, NY, located in First Baptist Church. From 2007-9, she taught in Troy, New York public schools. During that time, she lived in Petersburgh, New York. Then, she enrolled full time in a doctoral program at UMass Amherst. The family eventually relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts so she could work and complete her studies. She earned her PhD in education in 2016.

Sources

• First-hand information. Entered by Rachael Lawrence at registration.