I remember reading that and thinking, “Geez, that lady has got guts”.
She will be missed.
I thought of her a couple of days ago as I was sifting through subscribed threads.
Godspeed, Chique.
Her family was and has been incredibly thoughtful in keeping us, her far-flung internet friends in the loop, even in the midst of their own grief and arrangement-making. I sent her sister a message on Facebook, just a quick “I’m sorry for your loss, Rachel was a dear friend to me,” and I got back a long, thoughtful and caring reply. She said she’d love to hear any memories I have of Rachel, funny things she said/did. I don’t want to give out her email or whatnot (though I’m sure she wouldn’t mind), but if you want to share something about Rachel with her family, search Facebook for “Hats with Rachel” (or go to the old linked threads from the first page of this message) and her sister is Rebecca. I’m sure she’d love to hear them.
I knew this thread was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Sheek, or Chic, as I always heard her name in my head, or Rachel as she was known to her friends, was a poster who I will always have a great deal of respect for.
We’d never interacted in any threads, but last year during a thread where I was getting piled on, she sent me a supportive PM and praised me for not letting personal attacks get me down. We swapped a couple more PM’s, and I feel if I’d been a bit more sociable, we could have become good friends, despite her supporting “the scouse blight”.
It’s my loss, I’m sure of that much.
My condolences to all who will miss her.
People who are not, and have never been, part of an online community, often fail to understand just how close we can become to people we’ve never met face to face. I will tell other friends (as I first did when Persephone died), ‘well, it’s someone I know from the Dope’, and they are often incredulous that you can develop such attachments to ‘strangers’.
I’ve developed quite a few attachments to the ‘strangers’ here, and have gotten a lot of support, at very necessary times, from the same ‘strangers’.
Now, I’d be the first to agree: you’d be hard-pressed to find intelligent people ‘stranger’ than those on the Dope! 
But it really is a community. No less real than maybe a pub you visit every Friday night where the same folks are there week after week.
We support one another emotionally (and occasionally financially as well), and when one of us goes, yes, it’s more painful if we’ve had personal or face-to-face interaction with them. But even if we haven’t, it hurts. It hurts us as individuals, and as a ‘neighborhood’, which is how I think of us.
Rasa, my favorite current memories of chique occurred during her illness. In one of her LJ posts, she commented on one of her hats, which she didn’t like.
My comment:
I think you should wear the Care Bears one to your next appointment. I don’t know, just the silliness of it… some twisted humor.
Please don’t throw bricks at me. 
Her reply:
Bricks are reserved for the giver, not the smartass in the peanut gallery. 
I wonder if she did ever get to wear that hat…
I used to love talking to chique back in the old IRC channel. I’m seeing a lot of other faces I recognize from back then too…
Godspeed, chique.
may her memory be eternal.
God, this thread is one I never wanted to see. I didn’t know her personally, or even terribly well online. We interacted quite a bit in the brief time I used to chat at #straightdope. I’ll miss her.
She came from a long line of gutsy, tough people. I still remember her posting about her grandfather pulling the inflated Foley out of his own…er, junk. She had guts in her genes.
Rest well, Rachel.
Very sad to hear this :(. Evil babbies indeed.
Rest In Peace, Chique.
So sad. I remember her name.
I’ve un-stuck this thread and I’m adding an entry for chique to the memorial thread. I was reading some of her older posts just now, and I think you’ll enjoy this one.
This news is no less sad for being anticipated. A sorry loss for us all, and my heart goes out to her loved ones.
A few other interesting chique moments: Jesus, grampa, stop doing that! (another story involving a cow) and I had a great night last night, OR, Black powder is FUN!!!
Well shit. I’m a loong time lurker on these boards. Chique is surely frowning at my first (second) post, but here goes:
I’ve had many a late night chats with chique, I mean HOURS about shit that’s been happening on the planet. I’ve been privvy to some of the personal conversations that have taken place on these boards because chique and I’d be messenging, and she’d link a thread, and she and I’d discuss, then she’d say whatever the hell she wanted to say in the first place. And I’d applaud. Or do a facepalm on occasion.
And her guts? That shit was for real. Chique had guts. One thing about chique is that she was equal parts of ballsy, educated and passionate. Oh, then throw in some dark humor and a shit load of sarcasm. And giving. Chique gave and gave and probably not once gave herself proper credit for it. I haven’t had the desire to snoop through her posts. Perhaps someday. But I’m fairly certain that she talked a lot about football and immigrants and politics and she was likely straighforward to the point of annoyance and so full of reason at times that you wanted to scream. And yet, you knew whatever she said, that she wasn’t bullshitting you. She probably didn’t brag about her Navy days during Gulf I, or her post-Katrina service or teaching reugee Somali women to drive, or her writing for a local paper on immigrant issues or the fact that she donated her body to be a cadaver to the Univeristy of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest program so that future docs and surgeons can practice their craft on her.
And that story about our Grandpa pulling the Foley out? Holy shit right? I still don’t know how to talk about Grandpa’s penis other than two or three “holy shit’s” in a row. Then brain bleach. And more brain bleach. And another one or two “holy shit’s”. Those of us that grew up on a farm sometimes tell people stories prefaced with “Well I grew up on A Farm” like a badge of honor. I’ve got lots of those stories about my life that start that way. Grandpa pulling that shit out ain’t one of them. We’ve got lotsa better Gpa stories than that. Like all the damn dogs that he shot cos they wouldn’t herd cattle at first whistle. That pissed us off. And that’s a waaaaay better Farm story than that stinking cath.
I want you guys to know, that your comraderie and intellect and occasional flat out arguing were as important to my sister, chique, as they are to you. Our Mom wrote her obituary today and it includes this line: “…and the internet, where she met many interesting people from all over the world. Although only meeting a few posters in person, she counted a good number as dear friends. The Celebration of Life service will also be webcast with those friends and family in mind.” We’re working out those details regarding the webcast and those of you that want to watch a not-a-funeral online that’s not a celebrity for the first time? Here’s your chance. I’ll come back and post a link once we get those details worked out. In the meantime, if you have something you’d like to share, to be read at her memorial, please PM me: rebsandy@hotmail.com.
Well, crapola. Just saw this thread.
The last time I saw her, Elly, was your wedding reception. She took is gift shopping for you, since we didn’t have a car. She was the only one there I knew.
Fuck.
sad news indeed. RIP Chique. I hope you got to wear the silly fish hat I made for you before it was time.