Norma Eileen (Gerber) Rains

Norma Eileen (Gerber) Rains, 88, Knightsville, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020 at Cloverleaf Healthcare from natural causes.

Born June 13, 1932 in Putnam County, she was the daughter of Ray and Ruth (Siner) Gerber.

She grew up in the Poland and Reelsville area, where she lived most of her life. Later she moved to Harmony until being admitted to Cloverleaf due to a stroke.

Norma was a housewife who enjoyed collecting porcelain chickens, angels and Pillsbury Dough figurines. She also loved going to yard sales and visiting people at McDonald’s driving her beloved blue Chevy Cavalier loaded with stuffed animals in the back window. She was a member of Big Walnut Baptist Church near Reelsville.

She married John E. Rains on March 24, 1951. He passed away in 2002.

Many of her best and most cherished memories were the times she and John would come visit their granddaughter Kassi.

Surviving are a son, Allan Rains and wife Jo of Greencastle; a granddaughter, Kassi (Rains) Brooks and husband Sam Brooks of South Bend; sister Wanda (Gerber) Hull and husband Dick Hull of Reelsville; two brothers, Robert Gerber and Bill Gerber, both deceased; brothers-in-law Donald Lee Rains and wife Diana of Brazil and Floyd Melvin Rains of Fontanet; several nieces and nephews; many friends from McDonald’s; members of Big Walnut Baptist Church, especially Diane Hansel, Shirley Lundy and Bonnie Shouse; and the friendships made with the staff at Cloverleaf Healthcare Facility.

Because of safety concerns of COVID, graveside services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, November 20 in Calcutta Cemetery with Pastor Dick Hull officiating. Burial will soon follow.

Arrangements are under the direction of French Funeral Home, 421 E. National Ave., Brazil.

In lieu of cards and flowers, Norma would want you to take your family to McDonald’s for a small coke, small fry and either a McChicken or McRib sandwich in her memory.