Clara B. Rainbolt, 76, longtime resident of this community, died Tuesday morning, January 6, 1976, at her home in Protection.Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Baptist Church with Rev. John Gottman of the Baptist Church in Vici, Oklahoma (formerly of Protection) officiating. He was assisted by Dan Snider, pastor of the Christian Church, Protection.
Mrs. Glen Maris played organ music and Mrs. David Leeper and Mr. Charles Petty sang "The Old Rugged Cross" and "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow." A tribute, written by the grandchildren, was read by Valerie Rainbolt. The service was closed with a short poem, "Remember Me," written by a great granddaughter, Starla Trease.
Pallbearers were grandsons, Jim Edmonston, Tom Rainbolt, Philip Trease, Steve Rainbolt, Bennie Rainbolt, Gary Johnson, and Loyal Rainbolt, Jr. Honorary bearers were Bill Schultz, Ralph Baker, L. G. Glenn, Ralph Watson, Bill Bonham, Ward Harmon, Wade Harmon, and James Herd, Jr. Interment was in the Protection Cemetery.
Obituary Clara Barton Roller was born January 20, 1899 near Taneyville, Missouri in Taney County and departed this life at her home in Protection, Kansas January 6, 1976 at the age of 76 years.
She was united in marriage to Frank Rainbolt on March 14, 1915 at Okmulgee, Oklahoma, moving to the Protection community in 1916. They observed their 60th wedding anniversary last March.
Clara was a member of the Protection Baptist Church, Order of the Eastern Star, and a long time member of the Sunshine EHU.
She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother and brought a ray of sunshine into the lives of all who knew her. She was the happiest when her family was around her and lived for her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Lilly Roller, a sister, Cora, a baby son, and her devoted husband, Frank.
Survivor's include three sons, Edwin, and Ben and wife Marjorie (Tiny) of Burlington, Colorado and Loyal and wife Dorothy of Craig, Colorado; two daughters, Eva Davenport of New Orleans, Louisiana and Frances and husband Paul Edmonston of Protection, Kansas; one sister, Alva and husband Charlie Bumgarner of Dodge City; three brothers, Harrison Roller and wife Ettie of Prague, Oklahoma; James Roller and wife Clover of Coldwater and Arnold Roller and wife Merdes of Columbus, Ohio. She also leaves twelve grandchildren, Jim Edmonston and wife Annie, Peggy and husband Philip Trease, Steve Rainbolt and wife Judy, Patricia and husband Bill Shipman, Tom Rainbolt, Marilyn and husband Gary Johnson, Benita Rainbolt, Valerie Rainbolt, Bonnie Rainbolt, Loyal Rainbolt Jr., and wife Janese, Vickie and husband Greg Frasier, and Kaye Rainbolt; and nine great grandchildren; Starla and Corey Trease, DeAnn, Tim and Virginia Lee Edmonston, Christopher and Stephanie Shipman, Wendy Ann and Olamae Clara Rainbolt; and a host of other relatives and many friends.
Family members requested memorial contributions to the Protection City Library.
(Poem written by Starla Trease) Remember Me Remember me with smiles and laughter,
For that is the way I would remember you.
If you can't remember me with smiles and laughter,
Then don't remember me at all.
In Memorium What is the value of a virtuous woman?(The Grandchildren's tribute to Clara Rainbolt)
To us, this woman was our Grandmother. What can we say, our hearts and minds are so full of our own thoughts.
We remember how she was always there, always cooking - Noodles, mashed potatoes, cherry cobbler were among our always favorite requests.
She always had the good things to say. She found something good in every thing.
Grandmother saw a lot of trouble in this old world and she knew the need of daily prayer. She was always busy.
It was the most natural thing in the world for grandmother to have a pair of jeans in her lap mending. Her sons, grandsons, and granddaughters had the best patched jeans around.
She was always firm, but it never took much persuasion to have a pinch of her homemade dough.
She was always there to give you a big hug and a kiss. And it was never limited to just her family, she welcomed any one who came into her home.
She was a hard worker, an early riser, and always wanted the best for her man and family. To us, this woman our Mom and our grandmother was truly a virtuous woman.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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