Rachel Kristyn Grant Schrey

Rachel Kristyn Grant Schrey 1990-2022

Rachel Kristyn Grant Schrey was born in 1990 in Hampton, VA to her father Michael Steven Grant and her mother Cara Rowland Grant. On the morning of April 10th, at her home in Nashville, TN, with her family by her side, Rachel chose to go home to be with Jesus after a long illness. She lived a full, vibrant 31 years.

Rachel grew up in Williamsburg, VA where she was homeschooled until her senior year of high school. During those years she wrote, directed, and produced many short films with her sister and friends in the starring roles. Rachel then attended Williamsburg Christian Academy as a member of the graduating class of 2008, before attending Virginia Tech where she received her Bachelor of Science in Animal & Poultry Science in 2012. She dreamed of one day working with horses.

Rachel was an animal and baby lover through and through. Her gentle spirit and kind and tender nature made her the perfect mom for her bear of a dog Chloe, and the happiest aunt to her nephew, Zayden.

Rachel loved anything and everything outdoorsy and adventurous: hiking, backpacking, stunt fighting, horseback riding, snowboarding, martial arts, and traveling.

In 2014, her adventurous spirit took her to Hillsong Leadership College in Sydney Australia, where she studied Television Production, Media, and Filmmaking and met her husband and the love of her life, Timo Schrey. They were engaged in December of 2014 and married in October of 2015 in Providence Forge, VA.

Rachel was extremely creative. She was an actor, a screenwriter, and a director. She was a member of the 4th Wall Acting Studio in Nashville. She played Milly in the independent film Summer of ’67. She also wrote, directed, and starred in her own sci-fi/action short film Kaziah which was released in 2019. She also had a blog called Lionhearted Lady, which chronicled her journey fighting cancer.

Rachel was courageous and brave - a true warrior in every sense of the word. She had vision for what she wanted and she was not going to let anything stop her from fully living her life. She loved meeting new people and trying new things. She was a life-long learner and always planned to be a student of something. In 2020, Rachel became an EMR (emergency medical repsonder) and a part-time volunteer firefighter with Station 22 in Franklin, after having been encouraged by her brother-in-law to do so. She planned to continue on to become a full-time volunteer firefighter. She also took up aerial slings and immediately started performing live shows.

She was a champion of people and dreams. A natural encourager. Thoughtful and generous. She had the biggest heart and was the kindest person. She would pray for a stranger on the street. She was an incredible listener, loved others so well, was tender and compassionate while still being strong and firm. She didn’t have to have the answer for you to feel heard and known and seen by her. She was compassionate and empathetic, steadfast and true. She had the biggest and brightest smile that lit up any room and her humor was always on point. Her laughter always came from a well of joy deep within her belly - the joy of the Lord she’d call it.

Rachel loved Jesus so much and everyone who knew her was uplifted by her beautiful soul and love for people. She was a Lionheart. Amidst a storm of deep and dark challenges, that is what she endeavored to be. A women of power, authority, strength, fierceness, and determination led by the Lord. Her faith and trust in the Lord was steadfast, deep, always inspiring and always on display. Her heart’s desire was that everyone would know how much they were loved by our Heavenly Father and how much He could be trusted.

Rachel leaves behind her husband Timo Schrey, her parents, Michael and Cara Grant, her sister Katelyn Hill, brother-in-law John Hill, and nephew Zayden Hill and many other friends and family who deeply loved Rachel and whom she deeply loved in return. We are all better for having known her.

“Not all those who wander are lost” - J.R.R. Tolkien

The celebration of life service for Rachel will be held at Grace Center at 2420 Bethlehem Loop Road Franklin, TN 37069 at 11am on Friday April 15th. The burial will follow at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens at 9090 TN-100 Nashville, TN 37221 around 12:30pm. If you would like to send flowers, please send them to Grace Center and if you have any donations or gifts, please send an email to johnahill92@gmail.com for further details.