Rachel Mescall née Tendler, 49, of Leonardo, passed away July 26, 2026, at home surrounded by friends and family following a truly courageous fight with breast cancer.
She was born Nov. 17, 1976, in Warwick, Rhode Island, and moved to the Leonardo section of Middletown in 1978.
A beloved daughter, wife, mother and friend to so many, the weight of her loss is immeasurable. While she is gone far too soon, her memory and spirit will live on in so many. She had a true joy for life and the world is a better place now, thanks to her time in it.
A graduate of Middletown High School South and Monmouth University, Rachel was a lifelong educator working in the Middletown Township School District for over 20 years. She specialized in pre-school education, helping students across a wide variety of learning abilities. The love she had for her students was unmatched and she routinely spent her time outside of school hours to improve the experience for everyone.
Rachel loved the outdoors, visiting the Jersey Shore, hiking Hartshorne Woods, skiing in Vermont or taking on any number of other activities in the sunshine alongside Chris and Ava and sometimes their dogs (Isabelle, Jakey Boy, Finn and Daisy). She loved to laugh, loved music and had a soft spot for just about any movie on the Hallmark Channel.
She was predeceased by her father, Chaim “Chic” Tendler, and son, Christopher Mescall.
Rachel lives on through her loving family and friends, including her husband Chris and daughter Ava; her mother Elizabeth Tendler; brother David Tendler (Marianne); in-laws Chris and Mary Mescall, Greg Mescall (Caroline) and Kelly Hostrup (Christian); seven nieces and nephews (Hailey, Justin, Gunnar, Colton, Bryce, Hart and Sage); and a group of friends that have stayed loyal to each other through thick and thin for the better part of three decades.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown. A funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday, July 31 at St. Agnes Church, 103 Center Ave., Atlantic Highlands. Interment will follow at Bayview Cemetery in Leonardo.
The article originally appeared in the July 30 – August 5, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
