Richard Marshall Gaines

Richard Marshall Gaines, of Gonzales County, died at home on Monday, June 30, 2003. Richard was born on September 24, 1942, in Flushing, New York. The eldest in a family of five sisters and two brothers, he moved to San Antonio in the mid 1950s, when his father, James Marshall Gaines left NBC to become president of WOAI. Richard graduated from the Texas Military Institute in 1960. After being expelled during his freshman year in college, he joined the Navy. After the Navy, he returned to school, going first to Trinity University and later to the University of Texas, from which he received a BA in English. He came within a hair's breath of finishing a master's in English as well.

A wanderer by nature, Richard lived many different places during his 20's and 30's. He would always love Mexico best but also greatly enjoyed telling stories about the time he spent in Rome, Austria and going through the Panama Canal. In the early 1980s he went back to school, for the last time, to get a master's degree in library science. It was in library school that he and his wife Ann met. After graduation he worked for a long time as a reference librarian and a children's librarian before becoming a writer and picture researcher.

The Gaines Family moved to Gonzales in 1991, largely because Richard really liked the golf course. A man with many avid interests, he also loved to speak Spanish, collect stamps and make stained glass. He read widely, especially in history and science. Although born in a metropolis, he often said how glad he was that he finally settled down in the lovely woods. He was very proud that he himself designed and built his family's house off Highway 90A, near Belmont, with help from family and friends.

Richard is survived by seven children, Betsy, Luke, Dinah, Molly, Joe, Daisy and Rose; one grandchild, Jaxon, as well as his wife Ann.

After having been diagnosed with metastasized lung cancer in January of this year, he devoted what he fully realized were the last months of his life to his family. They in turn were glad to be able, with help from the VA medical system and hospice workers, to take good care of him.

According to his wishes, upon his death, Richard was cremated by Puentes and Sons Funeral Chapels of New Braunfels and the family celebrated his life at a private ceremony, which Greg and Sally Hackett, formerly of Gonzales County and now of San Antonio, assisted with.

Anyone wishing to do so is invited to make a donation in Richard's name to the Hospice of Guadalupe Valley Hospital, 1215 E. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78155.