William Elliot Rayner

PERINTON - Computer whiz and origami practitioner William Elliot Rayner, 35, died unexpectedly Oct. 5, 2025 at his Perinton apartment.

Elliot, known as "Rin" to his friends, suffered a medical emergency while his girlfriend, Laela Overmoyer, was visiting. Despite her efforts to perform CPR at the direction of a 911 operator and the work of the ambulance crew that responded, Elliot could not be revived. The cause of death was determined to be bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism.

Elliot died 12 years and one day after the cancer death of his mother, Ann Ritter Rayner.

Born at Highland Hospital in Rochester, Elliot grew up in Seneca Falls, Maryland and Texas. He was living with his mother in Timonium MD when she died. Five years later, Elliot moved back to New York State and lived for a time with grandparents Carol Ritter Wright and William Wright in Perinton and Seneca Falls.

Elliot earned a business degree with honors from Walden University and was working for a computer repair and sales firm in Rochester. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of video games and was an avid collector of vinyl records and Lego products. Elliot loved animals and had numerous pet cats and dogs over his lifetime.

Besides his grandparents and girlfriend, he is survived by his father and stepmother, William Paul and Penny Diane Rayner, Milverton, Ontario, Canada; stepbrothers Jason Lee Cocagne and Capt. Brian William Cocagne, both of California; aunt and uncle Phyllis Susan and David Walter Claughton, New Brunswick, Canada; uncle Damon Ritter, Port Byron; aunt and uncle Robin and Bill Patalon, Fallston MD; aunt Zoe Van Kirk, Seneca Falls; and cousins Adrian B., Bryce T. and Tara E. Claughton; Fern Vankirk Ritter, Oscar Vankirk Wise, and Joey Patalon. He was predeceased by grandfathers William Scott Rayner and Donald K. Ritter.

Family and close friends will gather privately to honor Elliot's memory. Memorial donations may be made to any pet rescue or animal welfare organization. Arrangements handled by Sanderson-Moore Funeral Home, Seneca Falls.