Bill Rainforth

Bill Rainforth of Lacombe, Alberta passed away in the Lacombe Hospital on September 26, 2024 at the age of 86. 

Bill is survived by his faithful wife Sheila; Children, Michael (Dawn) Rainforth, Tracy (Steve) Bergstrom, and Andrew (Shannon) Rainforth; 8 Grandchildren, their Spouses, and 1 Great Grandchild; numerous Extended Family, and many dear Friends.  He was predeceased by parents, Dick and Darlene Rainforth; brother, Harold; and great granddaughter, Brevity.

Bill was born February 8th, 1938 in Alix, Alberta to Dick and Darlene Rainforth.  Living on the family farm, south west of Clive, Alberta, he spent his childhood helping on the farm and at every opportunity, would be exploring and going on many adventures guided by his extremely active imagination.  He attended the Eclipse school, which was one mile east of their home, until he finished grade 8 and completed grade 9 at the Clive school.   Dad would much rather be doing anything but sitting in school, so he was constantly looking for ways to get the teacher to send them outside.  Fortunately for him, his teacher at Eclipse was more than willing to organize a ball game or hockey game, often against the school in Clive. 

He loved his family, he loved farming and he loved sports, especially hockey.  He played on multiple teams each year and in 1955 he enrolled at Olds College where he was able to pursue both.  He attended there until graduating in 1957 with a diploma in Agriculture.  Dad cherished his time at Olds, especially the friendships he gained while there.  He truly loved people, building meaningful relationships at every opportunity, always putting others first, an attribute that was consistently evident throughout his entire life.  In 1957, scouts for the Chicago Blackhawks came to Lacombe to recruit him and the coach of the Detroit Red Wings also travelled out to convince him to play there.  Even though he had the opportunity to fulfill one of his biggest dreams to play in the NHL, and even better, with Gordie Howe, his favorite player, Dad turned them down.  He instead chose to stay home and help his Dad, who lost a leg in a farming accident.  He never spoke of this with his Dad or anyone, as he didn’t want his Dad to feel guilty for being the reason he didn’t go.  In 1968 he married a young British nurse, Sheila, and together they raised a family and continued to farm for the rest of his life.  Dad was a perfectionist, so no matter what he did, he did to the best of his abilities.  If something needed to be done, he did whatever it took to accomplish it.  Dad enjoyed working and was not afraid to put in the long hard hours necessary, driven by the desire to provide for his family and ensure their well-being.

Dad’s entire life was defined by his acceptance and deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  His outlook on life and how he approached every situation and every relationship was rooted upon the principles of his faith.  He cared deeply for everyone, whether family, friend or stranger.  He was extremely humble and life was never about himself, always about everyone else.  If he told one of his countless stories, it was never to bring attention to himself, but rather to share a meaningful thing the Lord had done in his life, or simply because he thought the story was just plain funny.  He loved life and had a strong desire to live it and in his passing reminds us, in his words, to “keep life truthful, honest and fun.”

A Memorial Service for Bill will be held on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Clive Baptist Church in Clive, Alberta.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to either the Clive Food Bank or the NICU in the Red Deer Hospital.

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