Mabel Rainer was born to Nellie L. and Willis C. Titus on May 19, 1917, in Cleburne Texas. The middle child in what was to become a family of five, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. She started school in Weatherford, Texas. The family moved to Avondale, Colorado in 1925, where she attended through the tenth grade. She graduated from Centennial High School in Pueblo, Colorado in May 1935, with a Business Diploma.
Mabel’s first job was with Hutchinson and Company Stock Brokers, as a Secretary, later becoming Bookkeeper. This is where she met and married the love of her life, Fletcher Y. Rainer Jr. During World War II, Fletcher enlisted in the U.S. Army and upon discharge he was hired by Continental Airlines in Pueblo on May 7, 1943, retiring in Colorado Springs in 1977.
Mabel and Fletcher had 4 children, one dying at birth, all born in Pueblo.
Mabel’s employment included 12 years as Office Manager/Bookkeeper of the Pueblo City YMCA and 10 years as Office Secretary of East United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs.
In 1989 at the age of 72, she was hired by Continental Airlines to audit liquor and headset sales on scheduled flights. The program was cancelled after a year for lack of funds to continue.
Fletcher’s employment took the family to San Antonio, Texas in 1952, to Los Angeles in 1957, and to Colorado Springs in 1960. In 1972 Mabel was included when Fletcher was sent to Truk District, Moen Island, Micronesia, by Continental to train a native in operations, returning to his job in Colorado Springs in 1973.
Wherever the family resided, Mabel was active in Parent Teacher Association. She served as President of Minnequa School PTA, Pueblo County PTA as Treasurer, President of Westchester PTA, Los Angeles. Mabel also served as Third Vice President of the Colorado State PTA, of which she was a Life Member. She also served as President of the El Paso County PTA, in Colorado Springs. Mabel served on the Board of Managers of Girl Scouts of America, Community Chest and the El Paso County Board of March of Dimes, receiving an award for 35 years of service.
She was a past President of the Pikes Peak Unit of Church Women United, receiving their Valiant Women Award in 1998.
Mabel had been a member of East United Methodist Church since 1960, serving in many capacities. She was a past President of the local unit of East United Methodist Women also served as Treasurer for 15 years. She was a past President of the Colorado Springs District UMW and Treasurer of Rocky Mountain Conference UMW for 2 terms. She served 2 terms each on the Board of Pensions and the Board of Trustees of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Methodist Church. She was a Lay Member to the Annual Conference under Bishop
Melvin Wheatly in 1979 and 1980. Mabel was an associate member of the Association of Retired Employees of Continental Airlines and wrote a column for the monthly newsletter.
Due to her husband’s airline connections, Mabel and Fletcher traveled extensively to Canada,
Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Holy Land, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Okinawa, and around the world east to west in 1978. They also visited Hawaii 33 times.
Mabel enjoyed many hobbies, sewing (without a pattern, many times copied from the newspaper or catalogs) crafts and cooking. She and her husband hosted many large Christmas open houses, all refreshments prepared by Mabel. She enjoyed “Girls Only” trips to Las Vegas and family trips to Cripple Creek. She loved to play cards with family and friends and immensely enjoyed Bunco Club. Mabel had a wonderful sense of humor, even when the joke was on her. She was devoted to her church, family and friends. Mabel loved going to breakfast at Wade’s Café for biscuits and gravy, so much so that she spent her last 6 birthdays celebrating at Wade’s! Mabel has also been known to have a glass of wine or a vodka cocktail and cheese puffs. That was her secret to a long life. Mabel was devoted to her church, family and friends!
Mabel was happy to have loved and been loved.
Mabel was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers, one sister, her husband Fletcher Rainer Jr. an infant daughter, her only son Fletcher Rainer III, and her oldest daughter Marinell Jones Estep.
She is survived by her youngest daughter, Melanie Roberts, and son-in-law Paul Roberts, grandsons James J. Jones of Colorado Springs, and Jeffrey J. Jones of Napa, CA. Great grandchildren, Jennifer (Michael) Jones Hernandez of Colorado Springs, Jeffrey J. Jones Jr. and Nickolas Ray Jones of San Jose, CA. Savannah Marie Fanjul and Sierra Rose Fanjul of Napa, CA, daughter-in-law Patricia Rainer of the Villages, Florida and her younger sister Dolores Titus Boyd of Canon City, CO. Nieces, Mable Boydt, Judy Voss, Dawna Lawson, Lorelli Hackler, Cassandra Jackson, and nephew Daniel Boyd.
Mabel’s family would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Winslow Court and Suncrest Hospice for the kindness they have shown Mabel these past 6 months. The nurses and CNA’s cannot be praised enough!
Funeral Service will be held at East United Methodist Church on Friday, January 18, 2019 at 10:00AM with a reception to follow. A private burial will be held. Visitation will be held at Memorial Gardens on Thursday, January 17, 2019 from 5PM to 7PM.
Memorials may be sent to East United Methodist Church, 1505 East Monument St. Colorado Springs, CO 80909 or a charity of your choice.
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