A funeral service for Eldon W. "Jack" Raines, 81, of Utica will be held at 11am on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at the Utica Church of Christ, 115 N. Central Ave., Utica with Pastor Doug Swan officiating.  Military honors will be provided by the Licking County Veterans Alliance.  Inurnment will be held at Bell Cemetery at a later date.

The family will receive friends from 12-3pm and 5-8pm on Tuesday at the church.  Masonic service will be held at 8pm.

Jack passed away on March 11, 2022 at Knox Community Hospital.  He was born on September 2, 1940 in Newark to the late Eddie and Nellie (McKee) Raines.  He lived his entire life in the Utica area.

Jack was a member of the Utica Church of Christ, Licking Lodge #291 F&AM, Morgan Grange #829, American Legion Post #92, VFW Post #9062, DAV Chapter #23, Utica Sertoma, Pioneer Coffee Club, Dixie Model-A Club, Kokosing Valley Tractor Club, Land of Legend Tractor Club, Edward Huber Machinery Museum and the North Central Ohio Cushman Club.  He served on the Knox County Fair Board, North Fork School Board, Utica Village Council and was a long-time member of the Bell Cemetery Association.

He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years and best friend, Marjorie (Pipes) Raines; daughter, Kenda (Rick) Gage; son, Ron (Alyson) Raines; grandchildren, Billy and Dustin Ross, Delaney Raines and Macey Gage; great-grandchildren, Brayden, Kaidence and Brynlee Ross and William "Will" and Waylon Ross; sister, Bonnie (Clyde) Armstrong and best little buddie, Gizmo.

Preceded in death by his parents, Eddie and Nellie (McKee) Raines; in-laws, Glenn and Edna (Johns) Pipes; and son-in-law, Bill Ross.

Jack was a former excavating contractor and retired from the Ohio Department of Transportation as Equipment Manager (Columbus) in 2004.  After retirement he drove bus for the Ohio Eastern Star Home for thirteen years.  He was drafted and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Viet Nam Conflict, in which he received a Purple Heart.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Utica Masonic Lodge, P.O. Box 357, Utica, OH, 43080 or Utica Church of Christ, P.O. Box 532, Utica, OH, 43080.

To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.law-bakerfuneralhome.com .