Jimmy Rainero

Jimmy Rainero was born in Delray MI June 17th 1941. He was the middle child and had an older brother Tony and a younger sister Anita. He graduated from Fordson High School, Dearborn MI in 1961 and Attended Henry Ford Community College majoring in Automotive Technology also went to U of M to complete Automotive Development classes. During that time he started a family and had 3 children, Jimmy, Lisa and Tina and they lived in Garden City where he eventually moved back to Dearborn. Jim worked for Ford Motor Company Rouge Complex Dearborn Engine plant from 1963-1976, He then transferred to EEE Building as a Parts Inspector from 1976-1979, then onto EMDO-Engine Manufacturing Development Operations as an Experimental Layout Technician from 1980-2002.  During his early years at FMC he purchased a 1969 Bronco and used it for a family vehicle and to plow snow in the winters to help provide extra money for his family. along the way his passion grew for working on and racing Ford Vehicles. He then started converting the 1969 Bronco into a hillclimber, with beefy tires, a fiberglass hood scoop, and a roll cage. He would take his kids for rides at Sliver Lake Sand Dunes. Jim started drag racing in 1964 with his Mercury, then his Bronco started in 1973 won several class trophies’ s and top eliminator. He Offroad sand drag, and Hill climb from 1975-1978. The 1st three years of competition out of 55 events won 47 1st place trophies. Competed in 14 top eliminator events and won 8. The Bronco has been in Autorama multiple times and at the Woodward Dream Cruise. By 1978 the Bronco was unbeatable, dubbed “The Nasty One” and was in Ford World New, the Blue Oval’s employee newspaper, the 1st ever employee to make the front cover. By the end of the year, Jim put the Bronco away in his garage and retired from Hill climbing. It sat there for 40 years till his grandson, Jonny, pulled it out of the garage to restore it to its former glory and to take over racing and to show it off at car shows. Jim loved to travel in a camper traveling across the United States and every year visiting family in Florida in the Spring. After Jim retired in 2002, he started working on a few other restore projects, a 1964 Ford Thunderbolt and a 1971 Plymouth Valiant. He was a regular at the local car shows and he met a lot of friends and always offered a helping hand on their vehicles. Outside of his hobbies He loved going out to dinner for steak, seafood,ribs and Italian food with family. He also would go to the local fish fry’s. Jim loved his family so much, he would show up to all the family events. His pride and joy was his 3-children, 7-grandchildren and 7-great grandchildren. They would all call him “Papa”.  In the later years he spent a lot of his time with his only surviving child Tina and his Grandson Jonathan “Jonny” working side by side on cars specializing in Engines passing his legacy on. He will be so missed and forever in the memories and hearts of his loved ones.

Loving dad of Tina Hindle, the late Lisa Bostwick, and the late Jimmy Rainero. Papa of Keifer, Krista, Nathan, Robert, Jonathan, and Melissa. Great grandfather of Katrina, Aria, Brookelynn, Lilly, Leo, Iyzic and Emma. Brother of the late Tony (Barbara), and Anita (Richard).  Jimmy's Funeral Service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, October 6th at the Dearborn Location of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 22546 Michigan Ave, 48124. Visitation Monday from 10:00 a.m. Interment St. Hedwig Cemetery.