Cloudy, 53° F
(June 30, 2009)
Floyd Leroy “Roy” Rains, of Bothell, Wash., died on June 30 in Bellevue, Wash. He was 81.
Roy was born on November 6, 1927, in Billings, Mont. He spent his early years living in the small ranch community of Ishawooa, on the South Fork of the Shoshone River southwest of Cody. His father was killed in a coal mining accident when he was very young.
Not long after his father’s death, his mother moved with her four children to Powell. At 14, he left home to live with his grandmother in Seattle. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing and hunting and being surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Not long after arriving in Seattle, Roy learned the steam-fitting trade, and he installed heating systems in residential and commercial buildings throughout the Puget Sound region.
At 18, he enlisted in the Navy, where he trained as an aviation electrician. After his military service, he returned to the steam-fitting trade in Seattle.
At the age of 21, Roy married Cecelia Luehr, and over the next 10 years they had four children.
In 1957, Roy turned to selling real estate, then building houses and commercial buildings as a general contractor. Roy ended his working career selling insurance for Farmers Insurance.
Roy was an active member in the Kirkland, Wash., Church of Christ for over 50 years, serving as a deacon for many of those years. Roy’s love for God was foremost in his life. He knew the scriptures well and could still quote texts from the Bible even at the very end of his life. He will be remembered for his love for music, his beautiful voice and his ability to lead singing groups.
His obituary photo was taken at a family reunion in 2005 at Washington Park. He always looked forward to attending alumni weekend in Powell. He had purchased tickets for the 2009 celebration, but he became gravely ill just one week before his scheduled flight.
He is survived by his children, Richard Rains of Dallas, Texas, Kathleen Powell of Mill Creek, Wash., Suzanne Neir of Leavenworth, Wash., and Steven Rains of Wenatchee, Wash.; his sisters, Lorna Fry and Edna Becker, both of Powell, Janice Stump of Cody, and Pearl Lange of Spokane, Wash.; his brothers, Ivan Wolfe of Garland and Dennis Rains of Walsenburg, Colo.; cousin, Mary Grace Vogel of Garland; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Roy was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, “Ceil”, who died in October 2003.
Funeral services will take place in Bellevue. Memorial donations in Roy’s name can be made to the University of Washington Foundation or to the Liver Cancer Research Fund, UW Medicine Advancement, 815 Mercer Street C-5, Box 358045, Seattle, WA 98109.
