Obituary of Rella Ann Chestnut

Mrs. Rella Ann Chestnut of Pensacola, FL, age 79, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 18, 2019 while in her home surrounded by her family. She was the fourth born of six children to John and Edith Reeder on September 3, 1939 of Oneida, TN. She served as a Pastor’s wife for 32 years at Valley Baptist Church in Oswego, IL. She was the mother of three children, Becky {Bill} Freeman, Greg {Tammy} Chestnut, Mike {Amber} Chestnut; grandmother to nine grandchildren, Jamie {Eric} Whitehurst, Wesley {Leila} Carey, Brooke {Timothy} Brantl, Nathan, Grace and Dillan Chestnut, Mary Chestnut; two step-grandchildren, Holly Smith and John Swift; great-grandmother to six great-grandchildren, Ian, Sophia and Ezekiel Carey, Aedon, Aurora Barelot and Frankie Brantl. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Roger and Ronald Reeder; two sisters, Reba {Reeder} Ellis and Robbie {Reeder} Fields. Mrs. Chestnut is survived by her husband, Pastor Roy L. Chestnut and her brother, Rev. Roy Reeder. While in IL, she worked at Allsteel Inc. of Aurora, IL for 26 years. After her husband, Pastor Roy L. Chestnut resigned the ministry of Valley Baptist Church, they moved to Pensacola, FL and worked as missionaries in Romania and were involved in the ministry at the Village of Hope Orphanage for 12 years; while also serving in ministry at Smyrna Baptist Church of Pensacola, FL. She was well loved by all the children in the orphanage and became their “Mamaw” to all of them just as she was with her own grandchildren and great grandchildren back in the States. A Homegoing Celebration will be held on Thursday, April 25th, 2019 at 1:30 PM at Smyrna Baptist Church, 7000 N. Pensacola Blvd., Pensacola FL. Pastor Bill Adams will be officiating. A Committal Service will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery, 1 Cemetery Road, Pensacola, Florida 32508 for family and those that wish to attend, on Friday, April 26, 2019 at 1:00 pm. The procession will meet at 12:30 pm at Olive Baptist Church, Warrington Campus, 103 West Winthrop Avenue, Pensacola, Florida 32507. The Chestnut family would like to express their gratitude and appreciation to their Vitas Hospice Care Team of Pensacola, FL, for their care, kindness, love & support during Mrs. Rella’s illness. Memorials can be made to: Heartland Baptist Missions 7000 N. Pensacola Blvd. Pensacola, FL 32505 https://heartlandbaptistmissions.org