Richard Earl "Rich" Mains

Richard Mains, 63, of Grants Pass died May 5, 2011, at Highland House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A celebration of his life will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Stephens Family Chapel. He was born June 22, 1947, in San Mateo, Calif., to Alice Mains and Harvey H. Mains Sr. His family lived in Milwaukee while his father attended college, and then they returned to California. He attended Pleasantview Elementary School. As a teenager, he held various jobs, including newspaper carrier, babysitter, gas station attendant and nurseryman. He also enjoyed surfing with his friends near the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. After graduating from Cupertino High School in Cupertino, Calif., in 1965, he joined the Air Force. He completed technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas and qualified as an aircraft mechanic. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and Thailand. After being discharged, he attended Southern Oregon College (now Southern Oregon University) from 1969 to 1973. He then moved to the San Jose, Calif., area, where he worked for Radio Shack as a store manager. On Oct. 12, 1978, in Sunnyvale, Calif., he married Gail Nelson, who survives. They moved to Southern Oregon in 1980, and he continued to work for Radio Shack in Roseburg and Grants Pass. He went to work for News and Smokes in 1987 and worked there until he retired in 2002. He was a member of the Etna Rebekah Lodge and a lifetime member of the Rogue River Valley Grange. For many years, he served as treasurer and made pancakes for the Grange's monthly breakfast. He enjoyed people, roller coasters, model railroad trains, '50s and '60s folk music and the Oregon coastline. He also enjoyed reading. In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Kirstin Mains; a son, Robert Mains; and a brother, Harvey H. Mains Jr.

Service Information

Friday, June 10th, 2011 10:00am, Stephens Family Chapel