Rainforth dead at 71

BILL RAINFORTH

Bill Rainforth, 71, passed away Feb. 24 from complications of

heart disease. Well-known in Laguna Beach from his 25 years of

service as a lineman for the local phone company, Mr. Rainforth was

said to always have a smile and kind words for those he encountered.

He was born June 16, 1934 in Montreal, Canada, and served as a

Canadian paratrooper during the Korean War. In 1968, Mr. Rainforth

moved to Huntington Beach where he took up surfing and became a

member of the famous “Hole-in-the-Wall Gang” surf team, winners of

many surf contests for Huntington Beach.

After moving to Treasure Island in 1982, he was a “regular” at Ben

Brown’s golf course. As a scuba diver, Rainforth liked to dive the

local reefs and make weekend diving trips to Catalina.

After his 1994 retirement, he became a course marshal at Ben

Brown’s (now Aliso Creek Golf Course). Although plagued by multiple

health problems in his last years, family members said he maintained

a positive attitude.

He is survived by a brother, George, and a sister, Beatrice, both

of Montreal. Services are pending.