Nancy Phifer Nicholson Rainer died Saturday, October 24 at Park Place after an extended period of ill health. Her funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, October 30 in Church Street United Methodist Church with The Rev. Dr. Fred Zeigler and The Rev. Dr. Neil Epler, son-in-law of Mrs. Rainer, officiating. Her burial will be in New Live Oak Cemetery, Lawrence-Brown Service directing. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday October 29 at Lawrence Funeral Home.
Mrs. Rainer was born March 16, 1930 in Sumter, S.C., the daughter of Louise and Charles McKnight Phifer. Her higher education was at Converse College, where she majored in music and voice. After marriage to Dr. George Bryan Nicholson on June 23, 1951 the couple moved to Birmingham, where he completed his surgical residency. In June 1954 they moved to Selma and he joined the staff of New Vaughan Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Nicholson became actively involved in the community, giving hours of service to Leika's Kindergarten, where the Nicholson children were enrolled. She was affiliated with the Selma Charity League, serving as president in 1959. At the triennial presentations of the League Follies she was a talented participant as a vocalist and a pianist. She was a member of the Church Street Methodist Choir and she initiated ���Pairs and Squares��� Sunday School Class there. Her other affiliations included membership in Pandora Social Club, Epicurean, City Garden Club and the Selma Medical Auxiliary. Tennis was a favorite hobby. Her husband, Dr. Nicholson, died January 12, 1985. In 1991 she married Sterling ���Mutt��� Rainer who died January 18, 2003.
Mrs. Rainer is survived by: Nickie Nicholson Pettus of Selma; Dr. George Bryan Nicholson Jr., (wife Kay) of Myrtle Beach. S.C.; Albert Rhett Nicholson (wife Mary) of Camden; Stephanie ���Lady��� Matteoda (husband Paul) of Sylacauga; Dr. Charles Phifer Nicholson (wife Lisa) of Plymouth, Minnesota; Ashley Epler (husband Neil) of Enterprise; and Elizabeth Tisdale (husband Marion) of Spartanburg, S.C. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family requests that memorial gifts be made to The American Heart Association or the National Cancer Society.