Robert G. Rainey, age 91, of Wilmington, DE., passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024 at his home, with his loving family by his side.
Born in 1933 to Wade K. and Sophie Rainey, Robert G. Rainey was the middle child of a family of five, along with older brother Theodore and younger brother Ronald. Growing up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania during the depression and World War II, Bo drank in a deep love of the simple things that made life in a working class city surrounded by the mountains special: learning to hunt and fish with his beloved father, playing pick-up games of all kinds with his rambunctious brothers and the neighborhood gang, climbing ladders to do illicit swims in the city water tank, and spending summers in Beaverdale, Pennsylvania with his aunts and grandparents. Bo loved his mother’s cooking and never forgot how lucky he was to have a good meal, commencing a lifetime membership in the clean plate club. After serving his nation in the U.S. Army in Italy, Bo attended Bloomsburg State Teacher’s College and earned his B.S. degree in Education. While at Bloomsburg, Bo played on the football team as tight end, quarterback, and wherever else they needed him. He played during an era when his coach viewed the provision of water as an impediment to the development of sufficient character to warrant a place on the gridiron. He was as tough as they came, even when dehydrated.
From college, Bo made what turned out to be the most fortunate and important move of his life. Accepting a teaching job in the small rural community of Canton, Pennsylvania, he met and married a pretty blonde who was the daughter of a dairy farmer – Helen Mae Grace.
The young couple soon created a family of five. Bo and Helen delighted in their children and Bo gave each of them nicknames, used in the family to this day. Eric was Jake, Kim was Mims, and big-eyed, blue-eyed Carrie was Tweet.
Having the opportunity for career advancement led Bo and Helen to a place that became forever special in their lives – Lewes, Delaware. Bo took a job at Lewes Elementary, and the family soon forged what became lifelong relationships with friends in Lewes and enjoyed all the benefits of living seaside. Fishing, swimming, BBQ’s on the beach, and parties at the Lewes Yacht Club.
The attraction of a higher salary led Bo and Helen to make the difficult decision to move from Lewes to Wilmington and a home on Faulkland Road. Taking a job at Krebs School, Bo found his favorite professional home and community. Among a diverse group of educators, Bo pursued two of his biggest passions: helping kids learn and helping them become good people. He did this on two levels, in the classroom and on the playing field. For his entire career as an educator, Bo coached football, basketball and baseball at Krebs, and later served as assistant girls’ basketball coach at A.I. du Pont High School, where his two daughters played hoops and field hockey, and where his son wrestled. With Helen, Bo deeply involved himself in all aspects of his children’s lives, supporting their passions and encouraging them to do their best. Like most teachers, Bo spent his summers making extra money, in his case, painting homes in New Castle County and ensuring that his children would all go to college.
Bo and Helen had a lively home and social life with many dear friends from Krebs and their Woodland Park neighborhood. Card games and Bridge dinners were common, and neighborhood kids were in and out of the house. Summer vacations to Maine and regular trips back to Lewes. Any wedding was an occasion for Bo to boogie and do what he called the “Johnstown Freeze.” It was his signature move and most likely made up, but he enjoyed doing it as much as his family enjoyed watching him. Bo loved everything about family life and was at his happiest — and quietest (he didn’t want to miss a bite) — when the whole family joined him in savoring the excellent meals Helen made. Every meal ended with a kiss for the chef and a thank you for the delicious meal. A romantic who never stopped adoring his Helen Mae, hiding his annual homemade birthday and holiday cards under the placemat for Helen to find over morning coffee. He loved a slow dance with Helen, serenading her in the style of Mario Lanza or Johnny Mathis. Bo never lost his “silly grin” when Helen came into view of his sparkling blue eyes.
Bo was a devoted son, nephew, brother, and uncle, being a supportive to all his close relatives. He traveled to Johnstown several weekends in the summer of 1977 to shovel mud out of his dad’s home following the last major flood in the valley. During a trip to Johnstown, Bo and the family attended a filming of the iconic ice hockey comedy, Slap Shot, as extras, and glimpses of them appear in the movie. His Aunt Bea was another family favorite, and he traveled to Atlantic City countless weekends to help her with whatever she needed. She lived in a house on the docks and Bo kept it tidy while sneaking in some fishing. It was a favorite place for the family to visit and he loved getting warm peanuts and grab bags from Mr. Peanut on the boardwalk. Bo was always just a phone call away for any of his family and friends who needed him.
As Bo approached and entered retirement after finishing his teaching career at Marbrook Elementary, he had more time for other passions. He and Helen drove cross country more than once with his brother and sister-in-law and visited National Parks and family in California. Fishing and more fishing. Hours on the Marina pier and rock pile at Lewes were his joy, whether alone or teaching his grandchildren the fine art of when to pull on the line and hook the fish. Always the patient teacher and the first to remind others that any day when he “wet his line” was a “good day,” whether it be surf fishing in the Outer Banks, a charter excursion or outing on a friend’s boat, or standing in the fast waters of a trout stream. Bo and his father frequently hunted at the Beaverdale Sportsmen Club, in their hooch and not far from the “barrel” in the woods, so named because it was, in fact, a barrel. Although few deer or turkey came back to Delaware, countless stories sure did and the chance for Bo to spend time with his father meant the world to him. Throughout his retirement, Bo and Helen made sure that his father, his father’s special friend and constant companion Berta, and Aunt Bea were loved and cared for during the rest of their years.
Bo also had a bounteous garden that supplied the family with vegetables all summer long. His garden grew larger every couple of years and his tomatoes were the best in town as evidenced by the neighbors asking for extras.
During this time, Bo also found a family of friends in a group of men who got together, shared their personal journeys, and supported each other. These men took Bo into their hearts and he into theirs.
Continuing his love of helping young people be all they could be, Bo became a committed volunteer at the DuPont Hospital for Children, where his daughter Carrie was an occupational therapist. Bo was a regular in the rehab gym and the indoor pool for nearly a quarter century, helping physical and occupational therapists as they assisted children struggling with profound issues of diverse kinds make progress toward a better day. His naturally sunny disposition and affection were a perfect fit with team members trying to make the journey for these children as fun and uplifting as possible.
Perhaps more than anything, Bo reveled in the chance to be a grandparent, and then a great-grandparent, with Helen to his six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Pictures of their adventures from football in Catoosa, Oklahoma to hockey in New England to soccer, well, pretty much everywhere, adorned every room of their house.
For his entire adult life, Bo was the unelected Mayor of the Sideline and the stand . . . for generations, from many sports at the old A.I High School, watching his children wrestle, shoot hoops, and hit field hockey balls, to Ursinus College and, eventually, Tower Hill field hockey, always ready to follow the grandkids to the next high school ice hockey and soccer games. And then more recently being a streaming season ticketholder to his grandson’s Johnson and Wales college ice hockey games from Rhode Island and being an in-person fixture at Washington College soccer matches, during an unparalleled period of success for that institution coinciding with two of his other grandsons’ careers.
Bo’s vice grip handshake, huge smile, and bear hug made everyone feel welcome and appreciated. Relentlessly positive as a fan, he had a kind word for everyone, and he made everyone remember that sports was about the players and their positive bonds and experiences with each other. He taught his children, grandchildren, their teammates, and the players he coached that good sportsmanship was what made you a winner. Playing the game because you love it. Always giving it your all. And then next time giving a little bit more. You never hung your head after a game around Bo because he gave positive feedback and instilled the confidence to go at it hard the next time. Quitters never win attitude and the common, but meaningful, phrase “keep your chin up”.
Consistent with his belief in team and “we,” not “I,” Bo never saw a basket or a goal as important as the assist that made it possible. The killer bounce pass, deft dish off, or a penetrating through ball — these were the highest art to Bo. Making a teammate look and feel good was what Bo most appreciated.
And that was what Bo always did in interacting with other people in all life’s settings. The kind word. The appreciation for an attempted joke, funny or not. Seeing the good in everyone and in everything.
If smiles are priceless, then few people have ever given other people more priceless moments than Bo Rainey.
His family cherished his time with them and is grateful to all of the good people who helped him have such a long and happy life, especially during his last years. His famous bear hugs will be synonymous with the kind of man he was. Sturdy. Genuine. Loving. Memorable. He had an unwavering devotion to his family and faith.
Bo is survived by his devoted and beloved wife of 65 years, Helen Mae Grace; son Eric Rainey, grandchildren DJ Rainey and wife Schrae, and Ty and wife Megan, great-grandchildren Riley, Blake, Laken and Carsen; daughter Kimberly Cassidy and grandchildren Neal and Conor Cassidy; daughter Carrie and son-in-law Leo Strine, Jr. and grandchildren James and Benjamin Strine; and several loving cousins, nieces and nephews. Bo and Helen also considered their neighbor of many years, Chun Jin “CJ” like a third daughter and were blessed to have been surrounded for years by wonderfully supportive neighbors who are their dear friends.
A Mass in honor of Bo will be held on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 2503 Centerville Road, Wilmington, Delaware. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage gifts in memory of Bo to:
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