Bill Rainey

ADVANCE - Willard "Bill" Rainey, 79, died April 1, 2003, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter.

Born Aug. 21, 1923, in Advance, son of the late Charles and Lula Raver Rainey, he was a heavy equipment operator for Little River Drainage for 40 years before retiring. He was a member of the Advance Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

On Aug. 24, 1945, at Piggott, Ark., he married Helen Croy who survives of the home.

Other survivors include: two sons, Tom Rainey of Marquand and Tim Rainey of Advance; one daughter, Nelda Simpson of Advance; one brother, Lowell Rainey of Athens, Ga.; one sister, Francis Sobba of Auxvasse; and four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Five brothers and three sisters also preceded him in death.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Morgan Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday with Allan Laszewski, officiating.

Burial will follow in Morgan Memorial Park.