SR0463 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0463 LRB094 14418 HSS 49351 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of William Allen Rain of Alton on Sunday, September 18, 2005; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Alton on October 6, 1921, to Clifford and Eleanor (Rice) Rain; he married the former Nadine E. Hissrich of East St. Louis on February 9, 1946; they shared almost 60 beautiful years together; and

WHEREAS, He attended Alton schools and William Jewel College in Liberty, Missouri, where he was a member of the football team and Sigma Nu fraternity; he enlisted in the Army Air Corps shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor; he received training as an armorer, parachute rigger, and graduated as a pilot at La Hunta, Colorado; later, he was based in Lincoln, Nebraska, as a B-25 pilot when World War II ended; and

WHEREAS, Following his honorable discharge, he returned home to join the family grocery store, Rain and Rain, located in North Alton; when the store closed in 1988, the Rain family had been in business for 111 years; after his retirement, he joined the advertising staff of the Advantage for a short time; and

WHEREAS, He was very involved for many years with the Boy Scouts of America; in 1946, he started Troop 7 of Elm Street Presbyterian Church, which is still active today; he served as a Scout Leader, institutional representative, and camp inspector; for his dedicated service, he was awarded the Scout Statuette and also one of the highest honors, the Silver Beaver; he was a charter member of the Alton Volunteer Emergency Corps, serving as the commander at one time; he was made a life member of that organization; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, Mr. Rain was elected to serve as one of the village of Godfrey's trustees; he held that position for four years; in 1996, his creative writings were made into a book entitled "Buffalo"; this western novel was published a year later and sold more than 3,000 copies; he was a member of Main Street Methodist Church and served as an usher for many years; he later joined the Emmanuel Free Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, The passing of William Allen Rain has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Nadine; his children and their spouses, William A. "Bud" and Cheryl Rain Jr., Charles A. "Tony" and Wanda Rain, and Amy R. and Mick Monahan; his grandsons and a spouse, Nathan and Jennifer Rain and their daughter, Emma, Jeremy Rain, and Scott and Patrick Monahan; his brother and his wife, Jack and Betty Rain; his sister-in-law, Helen (Mrs. William) Wimmer; and his other extended family members and many dear friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of William Allen Rain, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.