Dr. Norman Barry Rainer

RAINER, Norman Barry, Ph.D., 88 passed away on June 5, 2016. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on May 14, 1928, he located permanently to Richmond, Va. in 1965. A proud graduate of Stuyvesant High School (NYC) and the University of Chicago, Norman served in the 101st Airborne Division and then earned his doctorate in chemistry at the University of Delaware. He later passed the Patent Law bar examination to become a U.S. Registered Patent Agent. After a 25+ year career with DuPont, Allied Chemical, and Philip Morris, Dr. Rainer “retired” to concentrate on his private patent Law practice.

He wrote and secured over 800 patents for private inventors. An accomplished inventor, Dr. Rainer received 65 US Patents personally with numerous others assigned to his previous corporate employers. He founded several private companies dedicated to environmental water purification technology.

A scuba diver for 35 years and Undersea Explorers Club member, Dr. Rainer became a world renowned underwater photographer, was museum exhibited and published. Norman participated in Virginia Masters swimming and achieved national and state records. He was a member of the JCC for 50 years and the YMCA for 70 years. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 57 years, Lynn, and his mother and father, Nathan and Frances Ratiner.

Norman is survived by his 3 sons: Russ (Donna), Mike (Michele), and Bob (Kirby), 9 grandchildren, and younger brother, Edwin Ratiner.

The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, at the Parham Chapel of Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd. Richmond, Va. 23229. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 9, at the funeral home followed by interment at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Science Museum of Virginia.