BOMBER MEMORIAL
RONALD LEE "RON" GAINES SR ~ Class of 1962
February 18, 1944 - January 31, 2009
Ronald Lee "Ron" Gaines Sr, 59, passed away August 2, 2002, at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland. He resided in Richland since 1944.
Ron was born in Yakima on January 25, 1943, to Ralph and Jean Gaines. He graduated from Richland's Columbia High School in 1962 and served as a corpsman in the U. S. Navy from 1962 to 1965 with a tour in Vietnam.
He was a member of the local carpenters union at Hanford 1, 2 and 4 until his disability, and could no longer work due to lung injuries in 1982.
His passions were his children and grandchildren, fishing, gambling, playing a hunting game on the computer with his son, and riding motorcycles with his sons and daughters.
Ronald lost his 20-year battle with his lungs. He could not have done it without the love and caring of all his children and grandchildren. They are the ones who kept him going, which gave him a reason to keep going. He wants them to know how much he loved them all. He wanted to give a special thanks to the best friend he ever had. She could always make him laugh or raise his spirits. He loved her very much. Thanks, Arnil.
He is survived by his wife, Dee Hollis Gaines ('71); his mother, Jean Gaines; his children: Kelly (Jason); grandson, Koby; Ronald Jr (Jenane); granddaughters, Jenny and Amber; Jerry (Diane); grandchildren: Lesa, Lynzee, Jerry Jr, Brianna and Hayley; Angela ('92 honorary) (Donni); grandsons: David, Tyler, Jonathan and James; Cathy (Travis); granddaughters, Kymberly and Kayla; Michael (Jasmine); granddaughter, Jessica; Bub (Becky); Tom; Jen (Chris); grandson, Andy; Les (Kirsten); granddaughter, Ana; and his twin brothers, Bob Gaines ('65) and Bill Gaines ('65) (Sandy).
Ronald was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Gaines; both sets of grandparents; two grandsons, Sean and Dylan.
At his request there were no services.
Burial was held at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
NOTE: His brother, Bill ('65), passed away April 29, 2006.
His daughter, Angela ('92 honorary), passed away November 21, 2009.
His wife, Dee ('71), passed away December 10, 2021.
Bomber Memorial put together by Maren SMYTH ('63 & '64) and edited by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).