Obituaries

William I. Rainwater

Photo of William I. Rainwater
William I. Rainwater Sr., 87, of Jonesboro passed away Monday, September 30, 2013 at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. Mr. Rainwater was born March 3, 1924 in Imboden to the late Riley and Catherine Rainwater. He was a Lawrence County native. He attended Hendrix College, Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Arkansas. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from University of Arkansas. He served his country proudly in the United States Army Air Corps and United States Navy. In his early career he was operating cotton gins and grain elevators in Northeast Arkansas countries, during the mid-60s began developing and operating hotels, principally Holiday Inns, in Arkansas and surrounding states. His farming interests are in the Delta areas of Arkansas and Mississippi. He served on various family Bank Boards in Northeast Arkansas until recently merging with Regions Bank. He had a long-time involvement in not-for-profit Healthcare related institutions such as Hospital and Nursing Home Boards. He had many years of service in the conservation of our natural resources to preserve for future generations on local, state and national levels. Mr. Rainwater was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and volunteered in varies positions in the city and county government. He served on several boards, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Jonesboro City Water and Light, Hendrix College Board of Trustee, St. Bernard's Medical Center Board of Trustee, University of Arkansas Campaign for 21st Century Steering Committee and University of Arkansas Board of Advisors. Mr. Rainwater was honored with the Citizen of Year 1977 from Walnut Ridge; in 1997 the third recipient of Jonesboro Rotary Club's James E. Gramling "Service Above Self Award", in 2002, received the highest award for service- induction into the Order of Constantine on the 145th birthday of founding Sigma Chi Fraternity at Miami University, in 200 3, he was a initial recipient of J.W. Fulbright Recognition Award providing honor and prestige to the Sigma Chi Fraternity and the first annual Above and Beyond Award from St. Bernards Healthcare and in 2007, received the Roy H. Jolly Volunteer Award from the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Angie Rainwater; a son and his wife, Bill Rainwater Jr. and Jill; a daughter and her husband, Virginia Rainwater Cox and Steve; a brother, Sloan Rainwater Jr. all of Jonesboro; four grandchildren, Riley Rainwater, Alexa Rainwater, Stephen Cox and Weston Cox all of Jonesboro. A celebration of his life will be 11 a.m. Thursday, October 3, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. John Miles II officiating. Burial will be private at Hope Cemetery near Imboden under the direction of Gregg-Langford Bookout Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 9:30 until 11 a.m. at the church. Honored to serve as pallbearers, O'Dell Fort, Jim Kuykendall, Jack Walsh, John Brimberry, Ben Owens Sr., Tom Thomas, Adam Flock and Bill Hurt and as honorary pallbearers, CWL Board of Directors, St. Bernards Healthcare Board and his brothers of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Lasting memorials may be sent to First United Methodist Church or St. Bernard's Foundation for St. Bernards Memory Care Villas, 400 East St. Jonesboro, Ark. 72401. Personal condolences may be sent to the Rainwater family at www.mcnabbfuneralhomes.com.

Published October 2, 2013

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