Louis Perry Rainey

Louis Perry Rainey, born February 4, 1928 in Commodore PA to Leonard Rainey and Emma Atwell Rainey. He was raised by Ira Smith and his wife Wilma who died when Louis was 2 years old. He was known as Louis Smith until he was 18 and spent his childhood in East Liverpool, Ohio. Unaware of his adoption until he joined the US Navy, his name was then changed back to Rainey.

Louis spent 22 years in the Navy retiring as Senior Chief Storekeeper in 1966. While enlisted, he traveled to almost every continent and met his beautiful wife, Solange Serreya, in Casablanca, Morocco. He proposed to her on the day they met and were married in November of the same year. Initially, Solange thought he was joking about getting married as her English was limited. Two weeks later, he presented her with an engagement ring and she knew he serious. He loved his time in the Navy.

Louis fought in WWII and Korea and is highly decorated for his service. He received a purple heart and Silver Star among many other medals. After the fighting, Louis kept his family close in ports near the coasts so that his wife could be near her family in Paris, France or Raleigh, NC.

Louis and Solange had two children, Larry Len Rainey (Rose) and Ginger Rainey Jackson.

When Louis retired from the Navy, he settled in Raleigh NC where one of Solange’s sister had moved. He was hired by Wake County Hospital (currently WakeMed) as director of the business office where he worked until his retirement.

In addition to his two children, he is survived by his three grandchildren, Joseph Jackson, Rebecca Rainey and Robert Rainey, two great-grandchildren, Lacey and Alexis and others on the way.

Louis loved sports! Especially baseball. Some of the teams he liked were the Cincinnati Reds , the Cleveland Browns, the Carolina Panthers, Ohio State, NC State and Clemson. He was also known for being “a fan” of anything Pittsburg or near his home town. He has attended numerous sporting events in his life time and even was on the sidelines of the world cup in soccer in South America.

Louis always had a plethora of stories to tell about his travels as well as his antics during his youth.

Louis has left our world on September 7, 2016. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to the Salvation Army. Brown-Wynne funeral home is in charge of arrangements.