February 13 2008

O.A. RAINES

Funeral for O. A. Raines, 81, of Rusk will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, in Wallace-Thompson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Mike Wilkes and the Rev. Bob Goodnight officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Mr. Raines died Feb. 9. He was born Nov. 4, 1926, in Starkville, Miss. to W. A. and Nancy Belle Parish Raines. Mr. Raines married Alice Mae Billeck Nov, 30, 1955. He was a U. S. Navy World War II veteran. He was awarded a victory medal during World War II. Mr. Raines was a member of Holleyman's Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, member of VFW Post No. 3406 in Rusk, life member of Elks Lodge in Pasadena and a member of Texas Forestry Association. He was Union Steward and Cofounder of The Chemical and Iron Workers Association, cofounder and president of Lone Star Bass Club. Mr. Raines retired from Ethyl Corporation in 1984 with 30 years of service. Preceding him in death were his father, W.A. Raines and mother Nancy Belle Parish Raines; and brother-in-law, Jack Turner.

Survivors are his wife of 51 years, Alice Billeck Raines of Rusk; two sons, Phillip A. Raines of Palestine and Brian B. Raines of Rusk; two daughters and sons-in-law, Ellen M. and Lloyd DeSpain of Hungerford, Nancy Terese Burt of Kosse and Dennis E. Burt of Houston; granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Amber R. Tolson and Jeff W. Tolson of Kosse; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Lilian and Ross T. Lucas of Pasadena and Lucille Turner of Cocoa Beach, Fla., numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will include David Parker, Trey Parker, Matthew Parker, Larry Chandler, Greg Billeck, and Mike Chappa. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Don Berry, David Chandler, Clyde (PawPaw) Phillips, Steve Hulsey, Alvin Berry and Bobby Coates. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the funeral home.

Information from The Cherokeean Herald