James, or Jim, was born on October 25, 1951, in Butler, Missouri, to Helen Louise Kessler Rainey and Hollis Edward Rainey. Jim was preceded in death by his parents.
Jim graduated from Butler High School. After high school, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Following his service, he returned home to Missouri where he met Gail through mutual friends.
After moving to Houston, Texas, in 1999 to be near his family, Jim worked for nearly 15 years at the VA Medical Center. He was well-known and liked by his coworkers and received numerous awards for outstanding service at the hospital.
Jim was a longtime fan of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs and reveled in both teams’ championships during the last decade.
A gifted storyteller, Jim would entertain family and neighbors alike with humorous tales from his life, especially stories about adventures with his friends. Jim maintained close ties with several friends in Missouri, regularly talking with them and occasionally traveling to see them. He loved movies and music, especially rock music of the 1970s and 80s, and could still occasionally be heard mourning the loss of cassette tapes.
Jim is survived by his wife, Gail, of Spring, Texas; his son, Jason, of Austin, Texas; his son, Jonathan, of Cypress, Texas; and his grandchildren, Josslyn, Stephan, and Abigail.
Per Jim’s wishes, a cremation will take place, and no service will be held.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CalvaryHillFuneralHome.com for the Rainey family.
