Riley Sloan Rainwater Jr.

Riley Sloan Rainwater Jr., 89, passed away Thursday evening, Jan. 9, 2014 at his home. He was born June 13, 1924 in Imboden to the late Riley Sloan Rainwater and Catherine Virginia Hatcher Rainwater. He married Sylvia Sue Spikes on Dec. 27, 1950 and enjoyed 42 years together until she passed in 1992. He attended Sloan-Hendrix Academy in Imboden, Hendrix College in Conway, U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Arkansas Law School in Little Rock and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. In his early years, Mr. Rainwater operated a service station in Imboden, in partnership with his brother, William I. Rainwater, ran the family cotton gin business, worked at Citizens National Bank for many years and was an instructor in mathematics and chemistry at Little Rock University for several years. He was a member of the Arkansas Bar and U.S. Supreme Court Bar, was the Pulaski County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Lawrence County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and had a general practice of law at Walnut Ridge. He was an investor in farmland, hotel business and a purebred Angus Cattle Breeder. Mr. Sloan was a member of the American Angus Association, Purebred Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder, Purebred Belted Galloway Cattle Breeder and Belted Galloway Society of United States. He enjoyed working and helping his community, he was a charter member and the first President of the Kiwanis Club of Walnut Ridge, Jonesboro Industrial Development Corporation, was past president of the Arkansas Bankers Association and a board member of the Arkansas Community Foundation in Little Rock. He is survived by his nieces and nephews and their spouses, Virginia and Steve Cox, Jill and William I. Rainwater Jr. all of Jonesboro, Cassie and Alan Jean of Texarkana, Texas and Vickie and Ben Henry of Walnut Ridge; a sister-in-law, Angie Rainwater of Jonesboro; many other family and friends He was also preceded in death by a brother, William I. Rainwater Sr. The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. with a celebration of his life beginning at 11 a.m. , Monday, Jan. 13, 2014 at Gregg-Langford Bookout Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. John Miles II and Wetson Cox officiating. Burial will be private. Lasting memorial may be sent to NEA Humane Society, 6111 E. Highland Dr. Jonesboro, Ark. 72401 or the Craighead County Community Foundation, 407 Union St. Jonesboro, Ark. 72401. Online: www.mcnabbfuneralhomes.com.