Obituary of Ralph Gaines

Ralph Dewar Gaines, Jr. was born in Cartersville, GA on July 10,1925. A 1942 graduate of Talladega High School at the age of 16, he served as President of the Senior class, and was a member of the football, baseball and tennis teams. After his freshman year of college at the University of Alabama, he enlisted in the United States Navy serving in World War II. He was discharged as a lieutenant. Continuing his education at Tulane University of Louisiana, Mr. Gaines earned his Bachelors degree in Business Administration in 1946. In 1949, he graduated from the University of Alabama with his Bachelor of Law degree and opened a solo law practice in Talladega, AL where he continued to practice law for the next 55 years. While at Alabama Mr. Gaines was a member of and President of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Mr. Gaines was a member of the Talladega County, Alabama and American Bar Associations. He was a member of the Alabama Law Institute Council, the Advisory Committee on Juror Utilization and Management and Chairman of the Alabama Bar Section on Practice and Procedure. He was also President of the Talladega County Bar Association, President of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association in 1972 and President of the University of Alabama Law School Alumni Association in 1979. In 1974 Mr. Gaines organized the Lawyer's Referral Service of Alabama and served as its first President. In 1986-87 he was the co-author and spokesperson for the Tort Reform Acts of Alabama. After the adoption of the Tort Reform legislation, he returned to practicing law in Talladega. He was a renowned trial lawyer, selected as a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers in 1973 and the recipient of the Daniel J. Meador Outstanding Alumnus Award given by the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society in 1994. After serving as legal counsel for the Talladega City School system for 13 years and representing Talladega County's Board of Education for some 25 years, Gaines was elected President of the Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys in 1991. As an attorney, Mr. Gaines will be remembered and respected for his keen intellect, down-to-earth personality, and his dedication and passion in the representation and counseling of his clients. Always wanting to assist in the growth and prosperity of the city of Talladega, Mr. Gaines served as President of the Talladega Jaycees, President of the Talladega Kiwanis Club, President of the Talladega Chamber of Commerce and President of the Talladega United Givers Fund. A life-long Baptist, he has served his First Baptist Church of Talladega as a deacon, leader in RAs and Sunday school teacher. He was one of the charter members of the board of directors for Citizens Bank of Talladega, which was later sold to AmSouth. He was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Citizens Bank, served as Chairman of the Talladega City Board of Education from 1967-80, and a member of the board of trustees at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. Mr. Gaines was instrumental in the founding of the ROTC program at Talladega High School. In 2000 Mr. and Mrs. Gaines were recipients of the "Citizens of the Year" award through the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2002, Mr. Gaines, along with Mary Taylor, created and participated in the first Pet Therapy Program in Talladega. Mr. Gaines' secondary occupation was as a cattle farmer. He was a member of the Talladega County and Alabama Cattleman's Association. He was honored to be selected as the Father of the Year by the Talladega County Cattleman's Association. Mr. Gaines was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph D. Gaines, Sr. and Bessie Shaw Gaines, and his sister, Jane Ellen Gaines. He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Mary Sue Pafford Gaines, five children, Ralph D. Gaines, III (Lisa), Charles Pafford Gaines (Sharon-fiance), Susannah Gaines Herring (Dave), Priscilla Gaines McMillan (Ken), and Lucius Shaw Gaines (Jacqueline), ten grandchildren, Ralph Dewar Gaines, IV, Jackson Paden Gaines, Mary Caroline Herring Smith, Heather Priscilla Herring, Johnston Gaines McMillan, George Laurens Shaw McMillan, Charles Pafford Gaines, Jr., William Chandler Nash Gaines, Graham Hamilton Shaw Gaines, and Jacqueline Madison Gaines. Mr. Gaines loved the Lord, his family, the law, his office staff and his loyal dogs. Special thanks to Lakeside Hospice, especially to Terri Jones, Deanna Bullock and Angelina Walker, and to Mr. Gaines' faithful and loving care givers Twanda Warwick (Jack), Arlene Farmer, Pat Taylor and Kathy Moore. Much gratitude to Hilbert Cass for taking care of Tucky, Freckles and Meadowlake Farm. The funeral will be at the First Baptist Church in Talladega with Reverend Curtis Kelly and Reverend Lowell Ledbetter officiating. Visitation will be in the parlor at the First Baptist Church at 12:00 p.m. with the service beginning at 2:00 PM in the sanctuary. Private committal services will be for the family at the Gaines Family Cemetery at Meadowlake Farm. Mr. Gaines would be honored if, in lieu of flowers, donations were made to the following: Big Oak Boys Ranch, 250 Jake Mintz Road, Gadsden, AL 35905 Or The Ralph Gaines Scholarship Fund, The University of Alabama School of Law, Box 87038, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0382 Or Lakeside Hospice, P.O. Box 544, Pell City, AL 35125