Rachel Littlejohn-Diebel

Rachel was born June 14, 1922 in Wellingborough, England. She passed away on December 24, 2014. She was the eldest of three children. Her two brothers, Norman and David, predeceased her. She was studying to become a doctor in 1938 at Cambridge University, when World War II broke out. Upon testing by the British government, she was drafted and assigned to work for MI-5 in London. During the bombing of London and the troop buildup for the invasion of Europe, she met Lacy Littlejohn and fell in love. When the war was over she and Lacy married in 1946, and they moved to Waco, where they both entered Baylor Law School. She was one of three women in law school and graduated in 1950 cum laude. During law school their two children, Janet and John were born. After completing law school, the family moved to Beeville. She did legal work in the community, and for Lacy, and raised their children. In 1962, to aid with her children's education, she began teaching mathematics at A. C. Jones High School. In 1968, she received a Masters in mathematics from TWU. In 1971, she received a Master from UT in Latin. Rachel was elected to the bench for the 156th District Court in 1974, and served there until her retirement in 1994. The judiciary elected her to the Executive Committee of the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas 1983-1986, and she became a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Subsequent to the death of Lacy in 1986, she married the second love of her life, Edwin Diebel in 1999. They lived a life of immeasurable happiness and laughter until Ed's death in 2005. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Beeville where she sang in the choir and taught young ladies in Sunday-School for many years. She is survived by her children, Hon. Janet Littlejohn and Dr. John Littlejohn and her step-daughter, Betty Sue Newton; four grandchildren, Hillary Scurtis of Miami, Florida, Elizabeth Littlejohn of Houston, Texas, Neal Littlejohn of Vail, Colorado and Nathan Littlejohn of Napa, California; and three great-grandchildren, Jonathan Scurtis, Kristian Scurtis and Rollins Scurtis. She is predeceased by her husbands, Lacy Littlejohn and Edwin Diebel; and her step-daughter, Mary Jean Bevil. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, the 10th of January, at the First Baptist Church, Beeville, Texas. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make donations to South Texas Children's Home