Doris F. Gaines

Doris Freeman Gaines, 96 George L. Gaines Jeweler Lakeland " Doris Freeman Gaines, 96, was born in Wilkes County, Georgia to Charles Taylor Freeman and Mary Tolbert Cox Freeman on September 28, 1916 and passed away on December 29, 2012. She was pre-deceased by her husband, George Levingston Gaines, and her older son, Walter Douglas Gaines. She was raised in Hart County, Georgia and had six siblings, all who pre-deceased her; Nancy Settle, Walter Freeman, Inez Bryant, Alberta Fortner, Maude Kanning, and Mabel Gardner. She is survived by her younger son, John Richard Gaines and his wife, Suzanne Brown Gaines. Also included in survivors are her grandchildren; Kathy Gaines Harman, Beth Loehrke, Walter Gaines, and Travis Gaines. Her great-grandchildren; Michael Harman, Laura Harman, and Bryan Harman. She has many, many nieces and nephews, and several cousins who live locally. ""Darcie"" as she was known to all of us had a quite large extended family, and had become the mother and matriarch to the Gaines and Brown families. Doris was the valedictorian of her high school, graduating at the young age of sixteen. She married George Gaines immediately after graduation, and the young couple traveled, at the height of the Great Depression, to Florida to start a new life. Hard work was no stranger to Doris, and she and George worked at many various jobs here in Lakeland before starting their lifelong business, George L Gaines Jeweler. In 1935, George and Doris set up a small repair shop on Tennessee Avenue. From humble beginnings, a true legacy was founded and a business was born. Doris had a sharp business acumen which was the perfect complement to George""s immense talents. She had the innate taste and refinement reserved for the South""s most cherished ladies. Doris Freeman Gaines had it all " brains, beauty, elegance " all the great superlatives. But most of all she had an enormous capacity to love each and every one of us. Her legacy can be witnessed every day in many, many Polk County homes " by the way we live our lives in a refined, proper, congenial fashion. She touched so many, showing us a more beautiful way to live, appreciate, and respect this wonderful life. Out of respect she supported many worthy causes in our area " the Polk Museum of Art, the Historic Polk Theater, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, and the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. In loving memory, we vow to continue her causes. A celebration of her life will be Saturday, January 5, 2013 at All Saints Episcopal Church at 1 pm. A reception will follow the services in the church Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the All Saints"" Episcopal Church. Service: 01/05/2013 All Saints\' Episcopal Church 202 South Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, Florida