Donald Leevan Rainer
Donald Leevan Rainer
Donald Leevan Rainer
March 19, 1926 – June 4, 2016
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 90
Donald Rainer, 90, of Oskaloosa passed away Saturday morning, June 4, 2016, at his home in Oskaloosa. Donald Leevan Rainer, son of Herman and Vesta (Meek) Rainer, was born, March 19, 1926, in a log cabin in Cuba, a town in Monroe County.
His early education was in Avery, Iowa and he attended high school in Albia. During his junior year in high school, he was inducted into the Navy, May 19, 1944. His service was with the Blimp Squad, patrolling the west coast, looking for Japanese submarines. Following his discharge, July 15, 1946, Don returned to Albia and finished high school. He then attended Indian Hill Community College in Ottumwa, IA for two years and finished his education at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO.
Don married Josephine Iris McCarty, June 2, 1948, in Des Moines, Iowa, while in school at Truman State.
Don was soon hired as the Agriculture and Shop instructor in Edison, NE. He and his first students built the building where their classes were held. Don’s career as a teacher took the family to Winthrop, Iowa in 1954 and later to Newhall. It was in Osage, Iowa that Don left teaching and began working at a hatchery, it was also there that he received his business training. A job with Farm Bureau took the family to Fayette, where he later worked at a bank. His real initiation in banking began when he accepted a position with the Pine Island Bank in Minnesota. The family later moved to Leon, IA and then in 1973 to Adel. He ended his career as senior vice-president at Bankers Trust in Grimes. In 2012, Don and Jo moved to Oskaloosa to be closer to their family.
Don enjoyed taking his family camping through the years and he also was an avid sports fan, never missing an Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball game if possible.
His family includes his wife, Jo; his children: Deb Rainer of Denver, CO, and Randall Rainer of University Park; his grandchildren: Jessica Rainer of Des Moines, IA, and Michael Rainer of Lake Mills, IA; great-grandchildren: William and Riley; a sister-in-law, Jean Chaney of Kirksville, MO; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by a sister and her husband, Evelyn (& Floyd) Dage; sisters-in-law: Geraldine Marlin and Imogene Barnhart; and a brother-in-law, Cloyd McCarty.
Funeral services for Don will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 7, 2016, at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel with Rev. Don Stribling of the First Presbyterian Church of Oskaloosa officiating.
Private family burial will be at the Iowa Veteran Cemetery near Adel, Iowa. Visitation with the family will be from 9 a.m. to service time on Tuesday morning to greet friends and relatives.
Memorials may be made to the family.
Memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting the online guestbook at gvlfuneralchapel.com.
