Mrs. Judith Marie Coady Rainey, age 76, passed away on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017. Judith was born Jan. 3, 1941, in Peoria, Illinois and was the daughter of Ralph and Marie Coady. She had one older brother whom she adored, Maj. Robert F. Coady.
Judy was raised in Tampa, Florida and graduated Plant High School in 1959. She attended LSU where she pledged Delta Zeta and then met her husband Robert ‘Bob’ Rainey at work at the NASA Michoud facility in New Orleans, Louisiana where the first stage (S-1C) booster of the Apollo moon rocket was being built. She and Bob were married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of New Orleans on Feb. 8, 1964. She was a loving and dedicated mother to three children, Kimberlee, Scott and John, who were all born in New Orleans and raised in Florence. Judy was a member of the Episcopal church. She and Bob were also blessed with three grandchildren, Kieran, Taryn, and Coady.
Eight years after Bob and Judy were married the family moved to Florence where Bob worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Judy was a complete artisan who enjoyed painting, sculpting, and other crafts including cajun cooking. Once she had a family, Judy’s primary occupation was homemaker, but she also earned a real estate license as well as an optician’s license and managed a Sear’s optical store after her children were grown. The children were swimmers, and when the team found themselves without a coach – she stepped in with Ann Gray to coach the Florence, Alabama swim team. She was appointed as the Alabama state coordinator for the National Alliance of Families enhancing awareness about POW/MIAs as her brother was one. Bob retired from TVA in 1995, and he and Judy moved to Florida in 2001.
Judy fought a brave battle against cancer. She participated in several trials and studies to ensure that her experience would benefit others as the medical world works to find a cure. She died peacefully at Suncoast Hospice Care Center with her family constantly at her side including her dog, Darling.
Judith is survived by her husband, Bob Rainey; and her children Kim, Scott, and John; and her grandchildren, Kieran, Taryn and Coady.
The family would like to request, in lieu of flowers, that a donation be made in memory of Judith Coady Rainey to Suncoast Hospice Foundation. Checks can be sent to the foundation at 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33760 or online at suncoasthospicefoundation.org/donations/
A visitation will be held Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4207 E. Lake Ave., Tampa, Florida 33610. The funeral service, presided by Father Kenneth Bailey Jr., will occur the same day and location at 3 p.m. Procession to the graveside service will take place at 4 p.m. to Myrtle Hill Cemetery, 4202 E. Lake Ave., Tampa, FL 33610.
