Ernest Newton Rains

AIKEN, SC - Mr. Ernest Newton Rains, 94, passed away Monday, July 23, 2018 at his residence. Called “Red” by his wife (Lois Jean Ross Rains) and close friends, “PawPaw” by his two grandchildren Sarah Jean Rains Wilson and Joshua Stevens Rains), or just “Dad” by his two sons (Darrell Ross Rains and Michael Bruce Rains), Ernest Newton Rains was a man full of strength, love, life, and laughter, always laughter. He passed away at the age of 94 in his self-built home in Montmorenci, SC. One of the earliest stories my dad told me of Pawpaw took place on February 9, 1964—that’s the day The Beatles made history with their first live television performance in the USA on the Ed Sullivan Show. My dad and Uncle Michael scooted up close to the family’s television to tune in at 8:12 PM to watch The Beatles perform. Darrell and Michael tried to listen to the band play, but the music was overpowered by the intentionally back-handed and chuckling remarks of Ernest: “Why is their hair so long?” “What kind of music is this anyway?” “They need to see a barber.” “Look at those zoot suits.” There have been other stories of my grandfather that have stuck with me. One in particular of how he caught the eye of my grandmother (Jean Rains). When Ernest was 18, he rode his bike to get to his job at Graniteville Mill. On his route, he noticed a particularly beautiful woman with dark hair and dark eyes, and decided to do all he could to get her attention. It was love at first sight for both of them and they married in May of 1944. Ernest’s tenacity, dedication, grit to achieve, and endless love for Jean was evident throughout their 74-year marriage. You see beautiful glimpses of this rare sort of love in the gentle but consistent way Ernest always placed a loving hand on Jean when they had their photo taken. They had two children, Michael and Darrell. Ernest was a military man; he served in the Army from 1944 to 1946 as a drill sergeant. Family has always struggled seeing him in this type of position, since the stereotype is so rigid, harsh, and usually mean. Though we are all sure he performed his military duties with sincerity, we bet he served with a kindness, an understanding, and probably a few stories back in the barracks. My brother, Josh, and I learned so much from our grandfather. We learned how to be farm kids when we visited him. We played in creeks barefoot, swam in the pond amongst crappies and small catfish. We dirt biked and rode horses. We scraped our knees and ate watermelon and became sun kissed and freckled under the southern sun that shone so brightly on Ernest’s self-built home and acreage. Pawpaw would join us when we camped out in his creek-house he built for Jean. He would jump in the pond alongside us and taught us how to crack walnuts and clean fish. He was an encyclopedia of different “Rains rigging” methods and patient at passing his tricks of the trade on to his family. He exceeded in working with his hands, repairing and fixing whatever needed it, teaching his children and grandchildren about hard work. Ernest was a talented mechanic who owned a shop on Highway 302 before opening Rains and Son Truck Service on York Street in downtown Aiken. He would often barter his services, especially for those who couldn’t afford repairs but needed them done, for farm produce such as tomatoes and okra. Ernest loved to travel and was an advocate for the West. He used to travel across the country with Jean. They purchased an RV and frequently trekked out West to experience the arid and poignant landscapes, visiting landmarks, small towns, and attractions along their routes, always coming back with turquoise jewelry (his wife’s favorite) and images of a land so beautiful the images hardly do it justice. Ernest grew up in the Morganton area of North Carolina with parents Grady and Virginia Smith Rains and 12 brothers and sisters. Because of his upbringing, his heart always belonged to the mountains. He and Jean would often retreat during the Summers and Falls to the cooler weather of North Carolina to their mountain house by the creek. I remember floating down the cold, mountain river in Dollar Store inner tubes with Pawpaw and my brother, Pawpaw telling us about the different types of frogs, snakes, birds, and fish that lived there. He told us how to chew on sour grass, how to recognize a whippoorwill, and how to gently catch lightning bugs on our fingers. He was a master of big, southern breakfasts of scrambled cheese eggs, bacon, biscuits, and grits. He made his family proud by his dedication to sincere, good, and hard work. He engaged all around him by his colorful and magnetizing story-telling. Ernest was loved dearly by his family and is already incredible missed. In addition to his wife, Mr. Rains is survived by his two sons, Michael Rains, Charleston, SC, Darrell (Kerry) Rains, Aiken, SC; two grandchildren, Sarah Jean Rains (Matthew) Wilson, Joshua Stevens Rains; a sister, Louise Herndon, Waycross, GA and a brother, Donald Rains of Graniteville, SC. Memorial contributions may be directed to American Heart Association. The family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 PM Thursday, July 26, 2018 at SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ernest Newton Rains, please visit our flower store.