The Independent, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 1

WISHRAM LADY TAKES OWN LIFE
Mrs. Frances Rainey Leaves Host of Close Friends in Goldendale

            Funeral rites for the late Mrs. E. C. (Francis McCoy) Rainey, well known in Wishram resident, are being conducted this afternoon from the Hartland church and interment will be made in the Hartland cemetery.
            Mrs. Rainey, resident of Wishram for many years and also well known in Lyle, Hartland and Goldendale, took her own life late Sunday evening.  Details surrounding the death of the prominent lady were vague, but officers, piecing together bits of the story following her death, and testimony taken at the inquest held soon afterward left no doubt as to manner of demise.
            Mrs. Rainey was said to have had moody periods in recent weeks and it was felt that during one of these moments she drank the fatal potion.
            Mr. Rainey, for many years an employee of the SP & S. railroad with headquarters in Wishram, was making ready to retire Sunday evening after having spent some time reading on the porch of the family home.
            He made his way to a bedroom where he found the prone body of his wife.  Sensing the seriousness of the situation he called a neighbor, a nurse, and several others nearby.  A call was placed immediately for a Goldendale physician while the antidotes were administered.
            The victim failed to respond to treatment and when medical aid arrived, she was pronounced dead.  The community was stunned as well as members of the family when word came of Mrs. Rainey’s passing.
            An obituary will be published in next week’s edition. 

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 1

FRANCES McCOY RAINEY A SUCUDE AT WISHRAM

            Investigation of a supposed suicide of Mrs. Frances McCoy Rainey at her home in Wishram Sunday evening is being pursued by Prosecuting Attorney C. W. Ramsey, who took the dead woman’s stomach to the Oregon Medical School Laboratory for analysis of its contents Tuesday.
            Mrs. Rainey died in the presence of her husband, Everett C. Rainey, who reported that she informed him of taking poison, but would not state what kind.  He attempted to give her mustard water as an emetic, but declared that she would not swallow.  She was dead upon his return from the neighbors’ where he ran for aid.  Rainey reported that he discovered his wife upon the bed, fully clothed, when he entered the bedroom a short while after he had spent some time on the porch reading a paper.
            Officers could find no evidence of poison in the house with the exception of a carton of rat poison.  A report of the analysis is expected today or tomorrow.  It is understood that the unfortunate affair climaxes domestic troubles.
            The deceased woman is the daughter of J. H. McCoy, Sr., of Hartland, and was 39 years of age.  Besides her husband she leaves a son, Wilbur, age 20, and an adopted daughter, Elizabeth, aged 10.  Funeral services will be held at the Hartland church at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by interment in the Hartland cemetery. 

The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., May 7, 1936, page 7

LAST RITE IS HELD FOR LADY
Mrs. Rainey Laid to Rest Thursday; Host of Friends Pay Tribute

            Indicating the esteem in which Mrs. Frances E. Rainey was held by her hundreds of friends, a large group that gathered Thursday afternoon at 1:30 at the Hartland church to pay tribute to her memory.
            She had passed away the Sunday evening before at the family home in Wishram.  Funeral arrangements were made by Chapman’s Funeral Home and Rev. S. C. Eshelman of Centreville officiated at the service.

OBITUARY

            Francis A. Rainey was born November 30, 1896, at Dufur, Oregon.  She attended school, up to and including the eighth grade in the Dufur public school, completing her education in the Hartland school, to which district her parents moved.  The deceased was united in marriage to Mr. E. C. Rainey in 1913.  To this union one son, Buster, was born in 1915.
            Recently, Mr. and Mrs. Rainey adopted a 9–year old girl whom had been residing with the couple for some time.  Mrs. Rainey had resided in Wishram for 18 years where her husband headquartered as an employee of the S. P & S. railroad.
            Mrs. Rainey passed away Sunday evening, April 26, at 9 o’clock.
            Besides her husband, son and daughter, she leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. McCoy, of Hartland; three brothers, Willis, Joe and Ernest McCoy; and two sisters, Mrs. Dora Carter and Mrs. Naomi Charlton.  A host of friends residing in the entire county and Mid–Columbia district mourn the passing of the beloved mother and daughter. 

The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 12

WISHRAM LOCALITY LOSES MRS. RAINEY
Community Stunned by Sudden Loss of Valued Resident; Leaves Many Friends

            WISHRAM – (Special to The News) – This community was shocked and grieved by the sudden death of Mrs. E. C. Rainey Sunday night.  She had lived here for many years and had a host of friends.  She leaves to mourn her loss, her parents, several brothers and sisters, her husband and son and daughter.  Sincere sympathy is extended to all the family.