Neta Rainey, passed away on Friday, January 13, 2023 in Draper, Utah. She was born May 9, 1930 in Ogden, Utah to Sterling and Frances Thompson. She attended and graduated from Weber High School, and Utah State University. She married Garn Seegmiller in 1954 and Victor Rainey in 1960 and Arlyn Burnett in 2002.
In High School, Mom did a LOT! And SO well…she won numerous contests and awards, to name a few, she won first place in storytelling at a speech festival, at 17 she was first place in Style Dress Review. She spoke over a national broadcast representing the Style Dress Review from Chicago. She was also voted Personality Queen at a dance and Plain City Potato Day Queen. She was involved in the Pep Club, 4-H (Dress making) Club, War Bond and Stamp selling competition Queen Attendant, sang in Music festivals and Assemblies - on stage and behind the scenes, Student government and Glee Club - and out of 74 girls was one of 8 chosen to be in the ensemble.
She was active and involved her entire life. Neta loved sewing, candy making, cooking, baking, bowling, golf, hiking, biking, horseback riding, volleyball, swimming, cheerleading, boating, camping, shooting, Pep Club, TV sports such as Football, Golf, Basketball, Tennis. She also loved to sing, play music and listen to the greats. She also enjoyed gardening and learning about her heritage and family by researching her genealogy.
Neta was an active member of her community by judging and organizing St. George and Utah State Fair beauty pageants, Chair of Symphony Committee, Church service (her favorite calling was primary song leader. I've never seen so much effort and fun put into that calling. The kids loved it and her), Santa Clara Christmas Eve Pageant organizer and decorating parade floats.
Her first career was in teaching. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. She taught Home Economics in Cedar City, and Bountiful, then years later created and taught a remedial reading program at the Junior High in St. George. Once the kids believed that she cared about them, they worked hard to learn and she had to lock her door at lunch time so they wouldn’t all be in there with her. The program was so successful that she was asked to create a program for remedial math the next year.
Her second career was in banking, her third was with the IRS. She received several tokens of recognition from the IRS for her work ethic as well as performance without errors. More telling, she received several letters and even more phone calls from customers, people with tax troubles, expressing appreciation for her care, kindness and expertise while helping them.
Neta had a talent for connecting with people. Each grandchild, child, relative, and friend felt that they were her favorite. And they were, because she loved without distinction. She gathered people whom she loved and who loved her everywhere she went, such as the Santa Clara Ladies Book Club, the Crows Book Club, the Green Valley 9th Ward where she lived until recently, the Santa Clara Ward, the East Millcreek Ward and several other wards and communities, service events, and more. Her talents for doing, making, and organizing were prodigious. She could tell the quality of a garment after a 30-second inspection, sing difficult songs with little notice, serve perfect pies and candy, catch tax dodgers, organize an event to come off without a hitch and make it all look easy. Yet her ability to love and uplift those around her was what shone through even after the other things were stripped away.
We came to know that everything Mom did, she did well. In her keepsakes I found this handwritten note: “To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.” While Mom started missing a beat in the end, her mind remained quite sharp. I think that she had probably forgotten more than I will ever know. We love you, mom.
Neta is survived by her loving children: Larry (Freda) Rainey, Robert (Lala) Rainey, Russell (Susan) Rainey, Roger (Erma) Rainey, Renae (Marcus) Proctor, Roslyn (Jason) Edgington, 42 Grandchildren (including spouses), and 47 Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Arlyn Burnett - husband, Christie Rainey - daughter, Damon Fawcett - grandson, Sterling and Frances Thompson - parents, and brothers Ray Thompson Sr., Eldon Thompson, Ralph Thompson, and Elmer Thompson.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 21st at 10:30 AM, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at 13085 S. 300 E., Draper, Utah 84020. The family will receive friends at 9:00 AM on Saturday, January 21st, before the service at the same location. Interment will follow the services at the Plain City Cemetery at 2:00 pm.
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