Obituary for Lynda Lu Rains
Lynda Lu Rains, 82, of Stillwater peacefully passed from this earth to be home with her Lord and Savior on March 9, 2023. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at the Mehan Union Church. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.
Lynda was born to John Thomas II and Betty (Hipple) Lenoir on September 7, 1940 in Hutchinson, Kansas. She graduated from Central High School in Tulsa and later attended Oklahoma State University where she met the love of her life, Sonny (Alvin) Rains. Lynda and Sonny married at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1962 and soon after established their home in Stillwater.
Lynda was known and loved by the people she so graciously served. She had a heart for community volunteerism and demonstrated this passion by volunteering at Stillwater Medical Center for over thirty years, Judith Karmin Hospice resale store for over ten years, and the Home Extension Club for Payne County fairgrounds for over twenty years. In her early years, she served as a homeroom mom for Shan's KDG - 6th grade school experiences. Lynda never missed a sporting event, musical stage performance, or girl-scout ceremony that involved her son or granddaughters. From washing baseball uniforms for the little league team to hosting hot dog cookouts and swim parties for the softball team, she was ALWAYS there!
Lynda worked from the home as an Avon consultant for nearly fifty years. Friends and family loved ordering Avon keepsakes and specialty perfumes from Linda for special occasions and holidays. In a separate capacity, Lynda worked as a precinct official fulfilling the principal administrative officer role as an inspector for her precinct election board. She led by example when demonstrating the importance of the civic right and duty of voting.
Lynda was an active member of many women's clubs that included the Alpha Belles (a women's advocacy group for the spouses of firefighters), a needlepoint club, and several Home Extension Clubs. She also enjoyed the great outdoors as a member of the Stillwater Bass Masters Club where she and her family camped in their motorhome, fished, boated, roasted marshmallows, and enjoyed Friday night fish fries where she was famously known for her water chestnut casserole dish.
Lynda was an active member of Mehan Union Church for over twenty years. She especially looked forward to secret pal exchanges, Christmas Services, and birthday recognitions. She enjoyed weekly fellowship with her Thursday night and Saturday night singing groups at Ingalls and Perkins where she would listen to Sonny sing and play the harmonica and guitar.
Of everything Lynda loved and did, she prized her family the most. She valued family gatherings such as summer swim parties, family birthday celebrations and her most favorite: Christmas Lynda was best known in the family as the gift-giver of the "never-ending sack". She planned ahead for months at a time to joyously stuff gift sacks full to the brim with numerous gifts then smile with delight as she watched the recipient discover each gift so lovingly placed by her hands and with her heart. It cannot go without mentioning that one of her favorite pastimes was Saturday morning garage sales! She loved to strike a deal and always came out on top!
Lynda also loved to travel with her family. She and Sonny enjoyed numerous trips to Eureka Springs, Branson, Missouri, Dot, Kentucky, and Nashville, TN. She loved taking her granddaughters to the Pelican Festival in Grove and making the annual pilgrimage to Disney on Ice at the OKC State Fair. However, the closest destination was perhaps her favorite: Granny's Kitchen. Lynda was a regular diner and coffee drinker for breakfast and lunch and was known by the staff as mom. Hugs were frequent and laughs flowed contagiously! She will be dearly and deeply missed by those who knew and loved her.
Lynda is preceded in death by her parents John T. and Betty; her sister Lana Rogers and husband Ned, and her brother Johnny Lenoir III.
She is survived by her husband Sonny; her son Shan Loren Rains and wife Andrea; grandchildren Kristye O'Mealey and husband Shane; Shelbye Spencer and husband Ryan; her great grandchildren Ezra and Kellan O'Mealey; one nephew Dan Rogers and his sons Kobey and Alec and their mother Cami; one niece Karen Rogers-Tarwater and her daughter Hannah Tarwater; and her mutually adopted son Mohammed Mahmoud and family.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Sonny Apperson, Kevin Fowler, Corky McCoskey, Bob Gilbert, Bob Barker, Glen Spiva and Jon Bartrum.
Condolences may be sent to the family and an online obituary viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.
Lynda was born to John Thomas II and Betty (Hipple) Lenoir on September 7, 1940 in Hutchinson, Kansas. She graduated from Central High School in Tulsa and later attended Oklahoma State University where she met the love of her life, Sonny (Alvin) Rains. Lynda and Sonny married at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1962 and soon after established their home in Stillwater.
Lynda was known and loved by the people she so graciously served. She had a heart for community volunteerism and demonstrated this passion by volunteering at Stillwater Medical Center for over thirty years, Judith Karmin Hospice resale store for over ten years, and the Home Extension Club for Payne County fairgrounds for over twenty years. In her early years, she served as a homeroom mom for Shan's KDG - 6th grade school experiences. Lynda never missed a sporting event, musical stage performance, or girl-scout ceremony that involved her son or granddaughters. From washing baseball uniforms for the little league team to hosting hot dog cookouts and swim parties for the softball team, she was ALWAYS there!
Lynda worked from the home as an Avon consultant for nearly fifty years. Friends and family loved ordering Avon keepsakes and specialty perfumes from Linda for special occasions and holidays. In a separate capacity, Lynda worked as a precinct official fulfilling the principal administrative officer role as an inspector for her precinct election board. She led by example when demonstrating the importance of the civic right and duty of voting.
Lynda was an active member of many women's clubs that included the Alpha Belles (a women's advocacy group for the spouses of firefighters), a needlepoint club, and several Home Extension Clubs. She also enjoyed the great outdoors as a member of the Stillwater Bass Masters Club where she and her family camped in their motorhome, fished, boated, roasted marshmallows, and enjoyed Friday night fish fries where she was famously known for her water chestnut casserole dish.
Lynda was an active member of Mehan Union Church for over twenty years. She especially looked forward to secret pal exchanges, Christmas Services, and birthday recognitions. She enjoyed weekly fellowship with her Thursday night and Saturday night singing groups at Ingalls and Perkins where she would listen to Sonny sing and play the harmonica and guitar.
Of everything Lynda loved and did, she prized her family the most. She valued family gatherings such as summer swim parties, family birthday celebrations and her most favorite: Christmas Lynda was best known in the family as the gift-giver of the "never-ending sack". She planned ahead for months at a time to joyously stuff gift sacks full to the brim with numerous gifts then smile with delight as she watched the recipient discover each gift so lovingly placed by her hands and with her heart. It cannot go without mentioning that one of her favorite pastimes was Saturday morning garage sales! She loved to strike a deal and always came out on top!
Lynda also loved to travel with her family. She and Sonny enjoyed numerous trips to Eureka Springs, Branson, Missouri, Dot, Kentucky, and Nashville, TN. She loved taking her granddaughters to the Pelican Festival in Grove and making the annual pilgrimage to Disney on Ice at the OKC State Fair. However, the closest destination was perhaps her favorite: Granny's Kitchen. Lynda was a regular diner and coffee drinker for breakfast and lunch and was known by the staff as mom. Hugs were frequent and laughs flowed contagiously! She will be dearly and deeply missed by those who knew and loved her.
Lynda is preceded in death by her parents John T. and Betty; her sister Lana Rogers and husband Ned, and her brother Johnny Lenoir III.
She is survived by her husband Sonny; her son Shan Loren Rains and wife Andrea; grandchildren Kristye O'Mealey and husband Shane; Shelbye Spencer and husband Ryan; her great grandchildren Ezra and Kellan O'Mealey; one nephew Dan Rogers and his sons Kobey and Alec and their mother Cami; one niece Karen Rogers-Tarwater and her daughter Hannah Tarwater; and her mutually adopted son Mohammed Mahmoud and family.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Sonny Apperson, Kevin Fowler, Corky McCoskey, Bob Gilbert, Bob Barker, Glen Spiva and Jon Bartrum.
Condolences may be sent to the family and an online obituary viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.