John Alfred Rainnie

John passed away at the St. Paul''s Home, Dauphin on Friday, March 20, 2009 at the age of 94.

He is survived by his 6 children: Don (Jan) of P.E.I., Peggy (Chris) Skuter of Dauphin, Marlene (Klaus) Jensen of Denmark, Larry (Patty) of Boissevain, Garry (Perri Gardner) of Brandon and Ian of Airdrie, AB.; 13 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

A service to celebrate John''s life was held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 2:00 pm from the Reston United Church, Reston, MB. Reverend Dwight Rutherford officiated, with interment at the Reston cemetery.

Donations may be given to the Reston Cemetery Fund Box 99 Reston, MB. R0M 1X0, Reston United Church Box 148 Reston, MB. R0M 1X0 or to the Reston & Area Foundation Box 99 Reston, MB. R0M 1X0

John Alfred Rainnie was born March 20, 1915 on his parents'' (James Lumsden Rainnie and Mabel Emma (Farr)) homestead just north east of Ogema, Saskatchewan. He moved to Alida, Saskatchewan in the spring of 1917 with his parents and brother Norman (born in 1916). His father had been hired as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Rural Municipality of Reciprocity #32. His mother didn''t like living in town so they bought the SW quarter of 28-4-33 and had a small house built there. It was added to over the years and became a large home. Two more children were born; Eva Jessie on January 6, 1919 and Katherine Jean on October 20, 1921. All four children attended Hastings School for grades one to nine. John took grades ten and eleven by correspondence but attended Alida School. He started grade twelve at Carnduff until Christmas when his Dad asked him to stay home and help on the farm. This was the start of the "Dirty Thirties" and he never had the opportunity to finish his education. His father, as Secretary-Treasurer of the municipality had to cope with a flood of relief farms, used to get plow shares, binder canvasses, seed and feed. The elevator operator collected so much of the grain sold and every Saturday the Secretary-Treasurer of the RM sent someone to pick up the money. This was usually John''s job. When war broke out in Europe, John joined the Second Battalion South Saskatchewan Reserve Regiment and took training at Weyburn and Dundurn, but did not go overseas as he was classed as essential farm labour. His Dad''s health had begun to fail.

On November 26, 1942 John married Hazel Jean Millions at her parents'' (Wilber and Clara Millions) farm at Fertile Saskatchewan. He had met Jean when she was teaching school at Oakley (the school district east of Hastings). They lived in a little house in this parents'' yard and he continued to manage his father''s three quarters of land plus renting a nearby section. Three children were born in quick succession; Donald James on September 12, 1943, Marguerite (Peggy) Anne on September 27, 1944, and Marlene Louise on January 4, 1946.

In the fall of 1946 they moved to ten quarters of land just south of the hamlet of Broomhill, Manitoba. There was a large red barn with double silos and a four bedroom, 2 storey house. The children completed grades one to eight at Hathaway Public School in Broomhill. They completed their grade twelve at Reston.

While living at Alida, John had become a member of the Masonic Lodge at Carnduff. His father was also a member. John attended meetings with a neighbor and friend Bill Kilkenny who operated the general store at Broomhill.

A big event of the 50''s was the coming of hydro electricity to the community a€" a great help to both husbands and wives. Another big event for the Rainnies was the birth of the twin boys; Larry John and Garry Kaye on April 27, 1956. They were the first twins born at the Wilson Memorial Hospital in Melita. Their family was completed with the birth of another son; Ian Bruce on October 20, 1957.

John and Jean moved their family of six to Reston in 1961 in Jean''s words a€" "to be closer to the schools and church". John was on the church board and Superintendent of the Sunday school for awhile. He was assistant leader for several years for the Cub Scouts, an organization his three younger boys really enjoyed. John became a member of the Park Board and Jean was Secretary-Treasurer for several years. They also belonged to the Horticultural Society started by Mr. A. Archer. John worked for Reston Lumber Co. and for Beaver Lumber when they bought out Reston Lumber. After a few years, they decided to close their business so John brought in an unused army building to the lots where the Reston Recorder building, Mr Archer''s "Taylor Shop", and the Dry Cleaning Shop were. He continued selling lumber for a time under "Rainnie''s Lumber and Supplies", then closed out the business in 1974. The building eventually became the "Seniors Drop In Centre".

John then became Custodian of the Reston Collegiate for six years after which he retired. He then took to renovating their second Reston Home that they moved to in 1967 a€" a 3 storey cement block house. Prior to renovating his house he worked for a couple of years for his eldest daughter and her husband Chris Skuter on their farm at Dauphin. They had built a new yard site and John would hoe weeds around the young shelterbelt trees for an hour before breakfast every morning. John loved to drive and in his retirement drove many seniors to medical appointment to neighboring medical centers.

By the mid 70''s John and Jean''s six children had all left home and they now enjoyed many trips visiting them. In 1978 they flew to Denmark to visit daughter Marlene, husband Klaus Jensen, granddaughter Theresa, and grandsons Jens and Hans. From there they sailed over to Scotland to visit John''s cousins Jack Wilson and Norman Wilson and families. John and Jeans'' second trip to Denmark was in 1989 to attend their granddaughter Teresa''s confirmation. In 1991 they were in Vancouver to celebrate their oldest grandson, John Skuter''s "Calling to the Bar''. While there they went over to Vancouver Island to visit Jean''s younger sister Ruby and her husband Bob Garf at Chemainus. In August of 1992 they were off to Nova Scotia to attend their eldest son Don''s marriage to Jan Giles. Meanwhile there were many shorter trips within the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and three more weddings celebrated. In July 1982 son Larry married Patricia Hall of Killarney, Manitoba. They live at Boissevain and have three children David, Danielle, and Michael. In July 1983 son Garry married Perri Gardner of Brandon, and they reside in Brandon. In July of 1991 son Ian married Miyuki Ahara at Dauphin Manitoba. They reside at Airdrie Alberta and have three children James, Hazel, and Shane.

By this time Jean''s health had been failing for a number of years. She passed away in April 1996. John continued to live in their home in Reston and made many trips to visit his children and grandchildren. In August 1996 he attended his grandson John Skuter''s marriage to Sarah Ahmad in Edmonton, Alberta. They reside in London, England and have 2 daughters Kaia, and Sapphira. In July 1997 he drove to Dauphin for the marriage of his granddaughter Kathy Skuter to Ron Korzenowsky of Winnipeg. They reside in Dauphin and have a son Anthony and a daughter Emilee. John also flew out to Halifax to visit Don, Jan and their two sons, Nathan, and Aaron in the summers of 1997 and 1998. They live at DeSable, PEI. In 1999 he flew to Denmark accompanied by Peggy and Kathy and Ron to celebrate Marlene and Klaus'' 25th wedding anniversary along with their children Teresa, Hans and Jens. Teresa is now married (Martin Olund) and has three boys Simon, Jakob and Thomas.

John continued to live alone in his house enjoying his garden, bird watching and tinkering on his car. His health was deteriorating but with help of "Meals on Wheels" and good neighbors he insisted on being independent. In June of 2004, after a brief stay in Melita hospital he went to live with his eldest daughter Peggy and husband Chris Skuter at Dauphin. He enjoyed gardening for summers but with failing health eventually became housebound. In April 2008 he lost his ability to walk and became a resident of the Personal Care Home in Dauphin. He died peacefully the morning of his 94th birthday, March 20, 2009.

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