Virginia E. Rains

MADISON - We sadly announce the updating of the McCall-Rains genealogy tree with the passing of Virginia (McCall) Rains on Oct. 1, 2014. Virginia began her adventure in life on Tuesday, June 19, 1923, the first child of Howard and Helen McCall of West Chester, Iowa. She was soon joined by sister, Jean (1926), and brother, Richard (1929). As a child, Virginia was a tomboy and loved the outdoors. She said her dad had wanted a son. The farm presented her with many adventures. Virginia graduated from West Chester High School in 1941. She then attended business school in Davenport Iowa. She worked in the office of the Washington Button Factory in Washington, Iowa. On Aug. 18, 1946, she married Edward W. Rains at the McCall family farm in Washington County. They moved to Keota, Iowa, where they established the Rains Furniture Store. Virginia and Ed had three children, Matthew (1950), Rebecca (Bekki) (1951), and Debra Rainell (1953). Virginia played the piano and accordion, and loved to square dance. While in Keota, she also taught Sunday school at the Federated Church. Perhaps Virgina's greatest passion was her love of genealogy. You couldn't pass a cemetery without her and the kids looking for relatives' names on the tombstones. Seems like we were always searching for cemeteries. If it wasn't a cemetery, we were visiting relatives gathering information. Historical Society libraries were a favorite stomping ground for Virginia. In 1997, she published The Descendants of Thomas Waller Raines, which traced the Rains side of the family back to 1782. Virginia's love for genealogy can best be summed up by this quote from the unfinished work on the McCall History about herself, "Virginia was born and grew up in Washington County Iowa, but where did her genes come from? Who gave her the good genes that made her what she is. Where did she get those brown eyes, those freckles, the curious mind that searches for her ancestors, to find who they were and where they came from, how they lived and where." In 1961, the family moved to Marion, Iowa, where Ed became the local manager for the Chamber of Commerce. Virginia worked in the office for the Bartlett Furniture Store. In 1964, the family moved to Fort Atkinson, Wis., where Ed continued his work as their Chamber of Commerce executive manager. From 1971 to 1984, Ed returned to the furniture business working for the Sears furniture department in Madison, Wis. Virginia worked in the office of JCPenny's and later at Butler/Jamesway Manufacturing until she retired. Ed and Virginia were divorced in 1986, but always remained close friends. Virginia continued to work until she was 73. After retirement, Virginia moved next door to her daughter, Bekki, and her granddaughter, Hannah, in Madison. Virginia, loved to read, garden, cross stitch, walk her granddaughter to school, and prepare the family evening meal. Virginia was always on the go - visiting relatives, staying with her brother, Richard, and his wife, Mary, at the Iowa State Fair, traveling with her sister, Jean, to visit Washington, D.C., or visiting England and Ireland with her sister, Jean, son, Matt, and his wife, Jane. Everyone who has met our Mom comments that "Your Mom is a very sweet lady and always has a smile." After a brief hospital stay, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, Virginia passed away at Agrace HospiceCare, with her family at her side. Debra Rainell was singing to her. Virginia is survived by her son, Matthew E. (Jane) Rains of Madison; her daughters, Rebecca S. Slotten of Madison, and Debra Rainell (Christopher) Leisner of Skokie, Ill.; two granddaughters, Hannah M. Slotten and Rose C. Leisner and Joshua; her sister, Jean Czerwinski; her brother, Richard (Mary) McCall; and her sister-in-law, Connie Rains. Celebration of life services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014, at JONES & EDEN FUNERAL HOME, 116 E. Main St., Washington, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, prior to the services. As we say goodbye, we echo her advice to people as they were leaving, "Keep it between the fence posts!"