Virgil R. “Pooch” Rains, 80, of Atchison, KS died on Sunday, December 23, 2018 at the Village Villa Nursing Home, Nortonville, KS.

A Celebration of Life Visitation will be held on Thursday, Dec. 27th, 2018 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the VFW Post # 1175, 2201 Main Street, Atchison. Burial of his cremated remains will be at a later date in the Sugar Creek Cemetery, Rushville, MO. Memorial contributions are suggested to the VFW, Post 1175 or the American Legion Post # 6, both of Atchison and may be sent in care of the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home who is handling the arrangements. Condolences to the family may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.

Virgil was born on Sept. 20th, 1938 in Kansas City, MO the son of Russell and Genelle (Farmer) Rains. He graduated from Atchison High School in 1956. He had worked at the former LFM Foundry, Gerardy Machine Shop, and in the Ice Cream Division of Safeway Groceries. He later worked as a plumber for Lee Liechiti Plumbing and himself. Mr. Rains served in the United States Navy from 1960-1964. He was a life time member of the VFW Post # 1175, and the American Legion Post # 6, Atchison, KS, the Pineview Golf Club and the BPOE (Elks). Pooch enjoyed playing softball, bird hunting, fishing, and playing golf. Pooch never knew a stranger and would talk and get to know anyone.

He was married to Sharon Baldridge on Dec. 12, 1958. They were later divorced. Survivors include a daughter, Rusty Willis, Atchison, KS, two brothers, Kenneth Rains, Rushville, MO, and Robert Rains, Atchison, KS, two grandchildren, Jenna and Jon Archer Willis, and special companion Shirley Simpson, and her family, Heather Simpson, DeKalb, MO, and Gene Simpson, Kansas City, MO, and grandchildren, Jaleia, Presley, and Elizabeth. His parents, and a sister, Janice Goodlet, preceded him in death.