Saved By Grace, Husband of 52 Years, Father of 5 sons,
 Grandfather of 6, Great Grandfather of 4

Click the pic for a song from the Coburn's

R L Rathbone
Feb 2, 1921 - Oct. 28, 1998
Born eternally to Christ on Mar. 24, 1957

Pop was born in the mountains of N. Carolina near the small town of Clyde. As a young boy, he left school , as many of his contemporaries did, to help out with the family. As a young man, he left his mountain home to enlist in the Army to fight for our country in the WWII. While in training, he boxed in the division, but passed up an opportunity to continue in that sport to go to the battlefield. Assigned to a division commanded by Gen. Merrill, later to become known as "Merrill's Marauders" He fought in the mountains of Burma, and in India against the Japanese Imperial Forces. At one time, his company was completely surrounded and cut off from the Allied forces, and their only way of escape was to fight through superior enemy forces. While many of his brave friends gave their lives in battle for our country, Pop was spared, and was even given a field commission to the rank of Lieutenant. Pop endured many hardships in the jungles there, simultaneously contracting malaria, and typhoid fever, two diseases that at the time and conditions, took the lives of many. After returning home from the war, Pop declined the offer to stay in the army at his field rank, and was Honorably discharged. Shortly after arriving back home to Carolina, Pop began courting, and eventually married his sweetheart Stella Mae Rector. Married on Oct. 31, 1946, Pop became a husband and later a father to 5 boys, Harold, Mike, Keith, David, and Jeff. after a short time in Carolina, and then in Missouri, Pop and Mom came to live in the Peninsula area of Virginia, settling into their last family home in Hampton in 1959.  But Pop's single greatest event in his life was not of his own strong hands. On Mar. 24, 1957, several men from a local church, Central Baptist Church, came to his home and explained the Gospel of Jesus to him. Pop accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior that day, and he was birthed into the family of God eternally through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, and the redemption of his sins by the blood of the Lord Jesus on Calvary's cross. Pop was always quick to point out that day as the greatest gift he could have ever received. 2 of his favorite verses in the Bible were Ephesians 2: 8-9  Pop was a faithful servant of Christ for the next 41 years, serving in several local churches, in many different offices, the last church being one he and mom helped to establish with 6 other faithful believers, First Calvary Baptist Church  Pop handed out literally thousands of tracts, knocked on hundreds of doors in visitations, and witnessed countless times of the great things that God had done for him. Pop never did any of these things for personal attention, but rather to bring the attention to the Worthy One, the Holy Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We were blessed by  Almighty God to have him as our earthly father, spiritual head of our home, friend of friends, and the one who daily prayed for us, and gave us the great message of the Gospel.  Pop, enjoy yourself, and we will see you soon !!
Love, your family and friends in Christ Jesus