Staff
Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.
Seated:
J.D. Rainey, Jr., Betty Freeman, Wesley Rainey
Standing from left to right:
Walter Cannon, Anthony Blanchard, Benjamin Drennan, Corey Welch, Duain Hobbs, And Cliff Souther
Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and Insurance Agent
Wesley is a third generation funeral director, having grown up working in the business with his grandfather and father. He graduated from Crisp County High School and South Georgia Technical College, and went on to study and graduate from Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta in 1998. Wesley is a licensed insurance agent, funeral director, and embalmer. After working in several funeral homes in the Atlanta area, he returned to Cordele in 2000 to join the family business. Wesley is the past president of the Cordele Lions Club and Academy Of Graduate Embalmers. He is passionate about bringing the best service and resources to the families he serves, as well as training the next generation of Funeral Directors. Wesley is married to Tina Bowen Rainey and together they have two children, Wade and Isabella. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, boating, and outdoor time with his family. Active in the community, Wesley is a member of the Cordele Lions Club, serves on the Cordele City Commission and is a member of Cordele First United Methodist Church.
Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and Insurance Agent Crisp County Coroner
Jimmy is a second generation funeral director, having learned from his father, J.D. Rainey, the oldest licensed embalmer in the state of Georgia at the time of his death. He is a lifelong resident of Cordele and part of the first class to matriculate through all four years at Crisp County High School. Jimmy graduated from the Dallas Institute - Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in 1964. He has been a licensed Embalmer since 1964 and Funeral Director since 1966. Jimmy is married to Judy Doster Rainey and they have three adult children, Cindy, Angela, and Wesley, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. In his spare time, he likes to travel and spend time fishing on his boat. Jimmy is known for his service to the community, having served as Crisp County Coroner for over 30 years, being a member of the Cordele Lions Club since 1964, and attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in 1957. He is a lifelong member of Cordele First United Methodist Church.
After a successful career in farming and greenhouses, Anthony came to work at Rainey on the Monument, Vault, and Cemetery Crew. After several years, he went to Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, Georgia, and attained his degree in 2008. He has been a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer since then. Originally from Sycamore, Anthony graduated from Turner County High School. Anthony is able to serve families from the immediate need after a death has occurred, all the way through making sure they are satisfied with the result of any monument work that has been completed months afterward. He is married to Patricia Massey Blanchard and they have an adult son, Blake. Blake and his wife, Marina, recently welcomed first granddaughter to the world, Kallie. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys the outdoors, hunting, working his cattle, and spending time with his family. Anthony is a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church.
Notary Public and Personalized Funeral Service Advisor
Betty has been a vital part of the team at Rainey Family Funeral Services for the past twenty years. She coordinates with families, produces much of the printed and memorial materials, and ensures that things run smoothly for all the services that take place. She is a graduate of Crisp County High School and attended Brewton Parker College. Before joining the staff at Rainey, Betty was a successful business owner and was married to her late husband, Donald, for 44 years. She has an adult son, Jef, his wife Eva, several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and two fur babies, Sophie and Buttercup. She loves spending time with all of them. Betty is a member of the Board of Directors for the Cordele Kiwanis Club and is a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
Cliff has been on staff for over forty years. During that time, he has seen the industry change and grow in dramatic ways. Cliff assists in all aspects of the day to day operation of the funeral home. If there is a person in Cordele-Crisp County that Cliff does not know, they do not exist. In addition to working at the funeral home, Cliff was a bus driver for the Crisp County School System for 28 years until retiring recently. At least two generations of Crisp County students have seen him first thing every morning and last thing before going home from school, and know him as ‘Mr. Cliff.’ Cliff has two adult children, Myranda and Paul, several grandchildern, and is married to his wife, Judy. In his spare time he enjoys the water and going fishing .Cliff is a member of Northern Heights Baptist Church.
Ben began working at Rainey part-time three years ago, working in graphic design, print production, and running sound and video for funeral services. During that time, he has begun to train in all aspects of the Funeral Service Industry and is entering the second year of his Apprenticeship. He plans to attend Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, Georgia following the completion of his Apprenticeship. Ben grew up always calling Cordele ‘home’ but due to a father in the Navy, never got to live here full time until his senior year in high school. He graduated from Crisp Academy. In a former life, Ben attended Mercer University where he studied Piano Performance and was a United Methodist Music Minister for fifteen years, most recently serving at Cordele First United Methodist Church. In addition, Ben is a FAA Licensed Hot Air Balloon Pilot and flies both professionally and for pleasure. He is married to Elizabeth Drennan and they have one son, Isaac. In their spare time, Ben and Liz love to play music, spend time on the water, and travel the world with their Hot Air Balloon. Ben is active in the community and is a regular volunteer with the Cordele-Crisp-Chamber of Commerce. Ben is a member of Cordele First United Methodist Church.
Duain works part time at Rainey Family Funeral Services as a funeral attendant. Duain is known throughout the Cordele community as a man of integrity and a man of God. He is married to Diane, and together they have two daughters and several grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and serving in church. Duain is known to always have a word of comfort or a scripture to provide encouragement for everyone he comes into contact with at the funeral home. Duane is an active member of Cordele First Baptist Church.
Walter has been in the monument business for over 40 years, and works with families handling the sales and design of custom granite and stone memorials. He has been with Rainey Family Funeral Services for the past 15 years. Walter graduated from Lanier High School in Macon, Georgia and went on to graduate from Mercer University in 1980. He is married to Lynn Badgett Cannon and is step-dad to their four children, Becky, Chris, David, and Bradley. In his spare time, Walter likes to hunt, fish, travel, go boating, and spend time with his pets. He is an active member of the Cordele Lions Club, having been a Melvin Jones Fellow, Lion of the Year, and Past President of the club. Walter is a member of Cordele First Baptist Church.
After working for Flint River Pottery for over 15 years, Corey began working at Rainey Family Funeral Services through a friendship with Wesley Rainey. Corey is a natural people person who enjoys helping people out in their time of need. He has a love for sports and is known for his love of decorating houses during the Christmas season. In addition to helping families in their greatest time of need, Corey’s favorite part of his job is the relationships he has developed with his co-workers. Corey gets his love for cooking and good food honestly, from his mother, Leola Beeks, better known as ‘Woosie’ who used to cook at Country Folks and is now at Carter Burger.
Trey is currently a student at Crisp County High School where he is active in Skills USA, FFA, and the Young Farmer Organization. It was through the work-based learning program at the high school that Trey became involved at Rainey Family Funeral Services. He proved himself to be a hard worker and a quick study, and his work-based learning quickly turned into a job. Trey is the son of Deborah Allison and grandson of Gary and Deborah Rouse and is a Cordele native. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, building things, and raising animals. Trey plans to continue working and further his education by pursuing a career in funeral directing and embalming as well as explore working for the U.S. Postal Service. He is a valuable addition to the Rainey Family Funeral Services team!