Individual Details

Death

Mr. William ""Bill"" Franklin Rainwater, 88, died Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, at Lancaster Convalescent Center. He was born Aug. 19, 1924, in Cheraw and was a son of the late Franklin Pierce Rainwater and Jessie Eleanor Belk Rainwater. Mr. Rainwater was the husband of Marilyn DeHay Rainwater. Mr. Rainwater was the owner and operator of the former Rainwater Furniture, which sold to Kimbrell's Furniture, and was a member of First United Methodist Church. He was also a lifetime member of the Jackson Masonic Lodge and Catawba Lions Club. Mr. Rainwater served our great country in the U.S. Army and Air Force, during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn D. Rainwater; a son, James ""Jim"" Pierce Rainwater of Florence; a daughter, Anne Elizabeth Strange and her husband, Warren, of Birmingham, Ala.; two sisters, Mary Pierce Parker of Sumter and Julia Logue of Greenville; and his former wife, Ethel Furr Rainwater of Florence. Mr. Rainwater was preceded in death by a son, William F. Rainwater Jr.; and two sisters, Eleanor Havard and Agnes Copeland. The celebration of life funeral service for Mr. Rainwater will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at First United Methodist Church, 200 W. Gay St., officiated by the Rev. Charles Phillips, with burial to follow at St. David's Cemetery, 91 Church St., Cheraw, SC 29520. The family of Mr. Rainwater will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral in the parlor of First United Methodist Church and suggests memorials to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 608, Lancaster, SC 29721. An online guest register is available on the obituaries page at www.hartleyburgess.com. Hartley-Burgess Funeral Home & Crematory of Lancaster (803-283-2100) is caring for Mr. Rainwater.