Paul Sloan Rainwater

Paul Sloan Rainwater, 74, of Crossett, Arkansas, passed away Monday, January 8th, 2024, surrounded by his family at Arkansas Heart Hospital. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on December 12, 1949, to the late Dr. William Sloan and Lottie Elizabeth (Cobbs) Rainwater. Paul graduated from El Dorado High School in 1967 and received a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a Minor in Business Law from Louisiana Tech University in 1971. He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1974. After graduation, Paul made his home in Crossett where he was a member of First Baptist Church and a devoted husband to the love of his life, Carolyn Sue (Orr), for 53 years.

Paul was a partner with Griffin, Rainwater & Draper in Crossett for his entire career and served on numerous boards and committees throughout Arkansas. Not one to sit idle, Paul had no plans to retire after five decades of practicing law. He was best known for helping those in need; his dedication to his clients and service to his community will be dearly missed.

Paul was an avid reader, New York Times crossword enthusiast, and lifelong Braves fan. He loved music, golf, golden retrievers, and cheering for his beloved Razorbacks. The true joy of Paul’s life was spending time with his wife and family. He coached his sons’ sports teams, supported their every endeavor, and led his family on an endless pursuit of the world’s greatest restaurants. At the end of the day, nothing in Paul’s life compared to the love that he held for each of his grandchildren.

Paul is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, James Allan Rainwater. He is survived by his wife, Sue, of Crossett; son Jason (Kristi) Rainwater of Little Rock, AR; son Luke (Noelle) Rainwater of Dallas, TX; his three grandchildren Elliott Rainwater, Brannon Rainwater, and Cohen Rainwater. He is also survived by his sister, Judy (Ronnie) Brooks of Austin, TX, sister-in-law Nancy (Mark) Glenn of Bossier City, LA, brother-in-law Don (Renee) Orr of El Dorado, AR, and a host of cherished cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 20th at First Baptist Church of Crossett; Reverend Danny Merriweather will officiate. A visitation with family and friends to immediately follow; arrangements by Medders Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Paul’s honor to First Baptist Church of Crossett (701 Main Street) and the Greater Crossett Area Food Pantry (301 Pine Street).

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