Vernon Paul Rainwater, 75

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Vernon Paul Rainwater, 75, a resident of Chester, Illinois, passed away Sunday, May 3, 2009 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

He was born July 15, 1933 in Ironton, Missouri to Virgil and Ruby (Hamilton) Rainwater.

He was married to Bettie (McLeod) Rainwater, who preceded him in death. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents, three sons, Denny, Rick, and Greg, and one granddaughter, Melissa Stoker.

Surviving are: two daughters, Vicki Stoker and Alana Gamblin, both of Perryville; two sons, Randal Paisley of Des Arc and Eric Paisley of Perryville; 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Leola Hodges and Virginia Kinzie, both of Sonora, California; many other relatives and a host of friends.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran, and worked many years for a newspaper company.

There will be a private committal service at the Arcadia Valley Memorial Park in Ironton.

Arrangements are under the direction of White Funeral Home in Ironton. whitefuneralservice.com