Obituary of Martha Wiesner Rainwater

Martha Wiesner Rainwater joined her Heavenly Father and family on November 21, 2018. 

Martha was born on March 27, 1926 to the late Franz and Sophia Malecha Wiesner in Rosenberg, Germany, now known as Olesno, Poland.  The approaching battles of WWII forced Martha and her family to leave their home in January 1945 and after the war, the family was reunited and lived in Munich. 

In 1957, Martha met the U.S. Army Sergeant who would become her husband, Arthur S. Rainwater.  She left Germany in 1959 for Columbia, SC where she and Arthur married and settled.  Martha proudly obtained her U.S. citizenship in 1963.  While raising her family, she also worked as a seamstress at Fort Jackson, SC fitting thousands of U.S. Army recruits with their first uniforms.  After the birth of her first grandchild, Martha became known as Omi.  Omi loved cooking for family and friends and was especially known for her pancakes, biscuits, apple strudel, and chocolate cakes.  No one had reason to leave Omi’s house hungry.      

Omi was a quiet lady who maintained her belief in Jesus Christ, beginning with her Catholic faith in Germany, and then continuing with her Baptist faith in Columbia.      

Omi is preceded into God’s kingdom by her husband, Arthur; and by family members in Germany, her parents, Franz and Sophia Wiesner; brothers, Viktor and Konrad Wiesner; and sisters, Marie Peters, Agnes Huesman and Luzie Handeck.   

Omi is survived by her children and their spouses, Frank and Mandy Rainwater of Columbia, MSgt (USAF, Ret.) Roger and Cindy Rainwater of Garner, NC, and Sophia Rainwater Lawson of Lexington, SC; and her grandchildren, Chad Rainwater and wife Emily of Alexandria, VA, Kaitlyn Rainwater of Windermere, FL, Adam Rainwater of Columbia, Capt. (USAF) Jessica Rainwater Turpiano and her husband, Michael of Poquoson, VA, Bethany Rainwater of Garner, NC, Maya Rainwater Lawson and Maria Bishop Lawson of Lexington.  Martha also has numerous nieces and nephews, in America and Germany, whom she loved. 

Funeral services will be held at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia on Saturday, December 1 at 11:30 a.m.  The family will receive visitors before the service at 10:00 a.m.  Her nephew, Tom Sawyer, will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lutheran Homes of South Carolina Foundation, 300 Ministry Drive, Irmo, S.C.  29063-2366.

The family appreciates and thanks the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for Omi over the past several years; especially those of Rice Estate Lutheran Homes of SC and Dr. Jeremy Ambroziak of Providence Family Practice.