Gerald David Rains, 78, of Sykesville , peacefully left this world on Wednesday May 6, 2015 after an 8 month battle with cancer.
Born August 29 ,1936 in Rockhold, Kentucky, he was the son of the late Earl and Lila Rains and brother of the late Sharon Rains Edmonds.
When Gerald was 13 , the Rains' moved from Kentucky to Maryland, and eventually settled in Sykesville where he graduated from Sykesville High School in 1954.
Gerald started working for the C and P Telephone Co. in August of 1955 and retired 42 years later.
He married the former Carol Ann Ely on October of 1955; and, together they raised three sons. He was the husband of Carol Ann Ely Rains. Gerald and Carol Ann would have celebrated 60 years of marriage on October 29 of this year .
Rains was a Past Chief and Life Member of the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department.
He was a councilman for 20 years as an elected councilman for the Town of Sykesville, ten of those years serving the Police Commissioner.
He was member of Freedom Lodge #112, A.F.& A.M. and was a former Cub Scout Master of Pack 716 during the years his sons were active in scouting.
For the last several years, he has assisted his son Brian with Link-up.org/Hunts for Heros, which provides Goose and other hunting opportunities for our Wounded Warriors.
Hunting was one of Gerald's passions; and, is what led him to the mountains of McKean County, PA in 1957. He fell in love with the mountains and the people of Eldred Township and surrounding area. Those mountains , and the cabin he would eventually build for he and his family, became his second home. He loved being in the woods.
He was equally as passionate about gardening; spending countless happy hours tilling, planting, nuturing, and eventually producing a bounty of vegetables that he was thrilled to share with any who needed or wanted them.
Surviving in addition to his wife are sons and daughter-in-law; Brian and Paula Rains, Gary Rains and Neil Rains; nephew, Steven May, niece Deanna Edmonds and
grandchildren; Matt, Sarah and Megan Rains. He was predeceased by a grandson, Jesse Rains
The family will receive friends on Saturday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9pm and Sunday from 12:30 to 1pm at the Haight Funeral Home & Chapel, 6416 Sykesville Road, Sykesville where a service will be held at 1:30pm Sunday. Interment will follow in Springfield Cemetery.
A Fire Department Memorial Service 7:30 pm Saturday at the funeral home. The Rains family encourages friends and family to bring a photo of Gerald which can be placed on a memorial collage celebrating a long and beautiful life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Carroll Hospice Dove House, 292 Stoner Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157.