Funeral services for Alvin G. Gaines, 98, of Albert Lea will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Rev. Curtis Zieske will officiate. Interment will be in Geneva Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Alvin died on Friday, July 24, 2009, at his home.
Alvin Garrett Gaines was born on Oct. 28, 1910, in Walnut Lake, the son of Charles and Minnie (Berger) Gaines. He grew up in Walnut Lake and went to country school there. On March 9, 1938, Alvin was married to Ada S. Peters in Walnut Lake. They lived in and around Wells until 1963 when they moved to a farm near Geneva. Alvin worked for Wilson’s, retiring in 1972. At the same time, he farmed, both crops and dairy, until his retirement from farming in 1985, when they moved to Albert Lea. Alvin was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and a former member of Community Lutheran in Geneva and Grace Lutheran. He was a longtime member of the Eagles Lodge and enjoyed playing his concertina in the Eagles Cancer Telethon for 25 years. Alvin loved to play the accordion and work with wood, building things for his family members. He also loved fishing, collecting and refurbishing old horse collars and other items. He also enjoyed planting trees and collecting coins. Alvin volunteered for the Fountain Lake Treatment Center and always enjoyed the young people he met there.
Survivors include his children: Joyce (Gerald) Mason of Albert Lea, Dalores Malcolm of Nisswa, A. Charles Gaines of Albert Lea, and Trina Churchill of Geneva, his special friend Viola Rynerson of Albert Lea; 20 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; several great great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Alvin was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 49 years, Ada; his son, Lloyd Gaines; granddaughter, Elizabeth; great-grandchildren: Drew, Danielle, and Samantha; great-great-granddaughter, Claire; his sisters: Laura (Rudy) Schweitzer, Mabel (Jack) Langenfeld, Elsie (Melbourne) White, Phyllis (Harvey) Latusek, Violet (Elvin) Sorenson, and Fern (Raymond) Dylla; and brothers: Charles Gaines Jr., Wilbert (Lauretta) Gaines and August Gaines.