Taylor Monroe "Sparky" Rains, 78, of Asheboro, formerly of Aberdeen, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007, at Randolph Hospital in Asheboro.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen with the Rev. Strad Snively officiating.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday (today), Jan. 19, at Boles Funeral Home, 425 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines.

Mr. Rains was born April 16, 1928, in Randolph county to the late Everette and Pearl Whitehead Rains. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War and served his country with the United States Navy. He practiced barbering with the Navy as well as at other places thoughout his barbering career.

Mr. Rains retired from CP&L after 33 years of service to the company. He was a resident of Spring Lake for 20 years from 1962-1982. He was a Shriner with the Sudan Temple in New Bern as well as a member of the Moore County Shrine Club. He was a long-time member of Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen.

Mr. Rains was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing at all the various golf clubs in the Sandhills area. After retirement, he joined the staff of Boles Funeral Home as a funeral assistant and worked there until he relocated to Crossroad Retirement Community in Asheboro.

He was preceded in death by a brother, James Rains.

Mr. Rains is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bernadine Powers Rains of Asheboro; his daughter and best friend, Sue Ellen Rains of Cary; a grandson, Nathan Taylor Orlowski of Cary; a sister, Anne Rains York and her husband, Ernest York, of Signal Mountain, Tenn.; and a sister-in-law, Barbara Craven Rains of Ramseur.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph County, PO Box 9, Asheboro, NC 27204.

Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines is serving the family.