Lavera J. “Granny” Gaines, devoted mother, granny, and great-gran, moved to her heavenly home on January 2, 2018 at the age of 93. Born in Coleman, in November of 1925 to Gerald Kenneth Johnson and Dora Jane Johnson, she found love early and later married her childhood best friend, Dr. Charles R. Gaines; together they lived and raised their family in Midland for 65+ years. After raising her children, Charlie, Linda, Bob and Janie, Mrs. Gaines spent many years as a dedicated & loving teacher, a passion she retired from only because she felt called back to her beloved home, this time as “Granny”. She never stopped loving & teaching children, her own children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, neighborhood kids and countless others who attended the puppet shows she tirelessly volunteered with at the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum. Whether playing, praying, storytelling, cooking, reading, laughing, playing the piano, putting on puppet shows, being Mrs. Fix-it, or simply sitting back and enjoying watching, Granny Gaines was an influencer and consummate teacher.
Her family is left with love and joy remembering her as she was, a Proverbs 31 woman. “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (v. 26-30).
Lavera J. Gaines was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Charles R. Gaines, mother, Dora Jane Johnson and father, Gerald Kenneth Johnson. Her legacy of love lives on in her children, Charlie Gaines and wife Carolyn Keenan of Houston, Linda Burge and husband, Virgil Burge, of Sonora, Bob Gaines and wife, Debbie Gaines, of St. Lawrence, and Janie Porter and husband, Richard Porter, of Sweetwater, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who all love her dearly.
There will be a celebration of the life and legacy of Lavera J. “Granny” Gaines 11 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019 at the Coleman City Cemetery Pavilion in Coleman. Interment will follow in the Coleman City Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home, Coleman.
