Obituary of William L. Rains

William Luther “Bill” Rains, age 79, of Clarksville, passed away, Tuesday, January 27, 2015, at his home surrounded by his family. Born April 12, 1935, he was the son of the late Clyde and Tommie Rains and the late Ernest and Maxine Rains. Bill was a graduate of Clarksville High School and Texas A&M University. After graduation he worked for Caterpillar Tractor until 1964, when he moved back to Clarksville and took a job with Campbell Soup until his retirement in 1991. Bill was a member of the Clarksville First Presbyterian Church for seventy years. He served in various capacities as a Ruling Elder and was currently serving as Clerk of the Session, a position that he had held for seventeen years. In addition to his service at the local church, he also served on various committees for Grace Presbytery. He was very involved in civic organizations such serving as Fire Chief, a member of the City Council, President of County Appraisal District, Currently President of the Clarksville School Board, and Past District Governor of Rotary International. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Nancy Rains; along with four children, Chuck and Sharon Rains of Nashville, Arkansas, Mary Beth Rains-Greutman of Clarksville, Richard and Karen Rains of Houston, and David and Tamela Rains of Dime Box; 8 grandchildren, Chace Rains & fiancée Ashley, Andrew Greutman & wife Morgan, Starr Greutman, Patrick Rains & wife Patricia, Emily Rains Waller & husband Danny, Macie Rains, Brandon Rains, and Sarah Rains; and 11 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 30, 2015, at the First Presbyterian Church in Clarksville, with Pastor Aaron Vander Schaaf officiating. Burial will follow at Stones Chapel Cemetery in Clarksville, under the direction of Clarksville Funeral Home. The family will receive friends Thursday night from 6:00 until 8:00 pm., at Clarksville Funeral Home. Serving as pallbearers will be Bill’s grandchildren. Honorary Pallbearers are Fetzen Talsma, Shaun Rogers, Misty Hopkins, and Amanda Lowery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Clarksville Rotary Club, P.O. Box 825, Clarksville, Texas 75426, the First Presbyterian Church-Clarksville, P.O. Box 732, Clarksville, Texas 75426 or Stones Chapel Cemetery, 1404 S. Locust St., Clarksville, Texas 75426. We have seen how Bill promoted and advanced the cause of Rotary, the Rotary Foundation, Group Study and Japanese Youth Exchange, and Polio Plus. He served as a leader in the Multi-District Training Institute in Texas. He served on multiple Councils on Legislation and led in the growth and capacity of the Lone Star P.E.T.S., serving on that Board for a number of years. Through that organization, he helped train literally hundreds if not thousands of Rotary Club Presidents Elect. Bill and Nancy showed us how to be generous with our means as he and she became Major Donors to the Rotary Foundation and Benefactors of that great work. He served on the Board of ASETS, training Ambassadorial Scholars. In the previous Zone alignment, he was an Assistant Rotary Foundation Coordinator, an ARFC. He was always pushing District 5830 Rotarians to do more in support of the Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus. We’ve lost a great leader in Rotary. We honor PDG Bill Rains in our thoughts and prayers, as he now rests from his labor of love through Rotary. We also pray for strength and comfort for his family. Bill touched lives all over the world: from children and those in need in our region to thousands of children and orphans in Mozambique who are alive today because of our mentor and friend. His legacy will live long through their lives and those of us who were privileged to know and follow him. DG Carroll Greenwaldt