Dorothy Gaines

Dorothy Gaines, 89, of Mount Vernon, passed away Wednesday, September 14, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Service: 3 p.m. Saturday, September 17, 2016, at First Presbyterian Church, Mount Vernon, by Reverend Lori Wunder. Visitation: 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the church. Burial: Mount Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Survivors include her beloved husband of 68 years, Robert; son, Gary Gaines; daughters, Pamela (Jonathan) Sabin and Cindy (Michael) Hall; grandchildren, Julian Sabin, Vanessa (Jason) Krykewycz, Tara, and Mick (Leah) Hall, and Rebecca (John) Osborne; 10 great-grandchildren plus one on the way; and many extended family members and friends. Grace 'Dorothy' Elizabeth Krumm was born March 14, 1927, in Atkins, to Jacob and Grace (Mitchell) Krumm. She attended high school in Van Horne, graduating in 1944. She was a cheerleader, and her first job was at Killian's in Cedar Rapids. She met Robert Gaines through a blind date and they were married on April 2, 1948, in Cedar Rapids. They moved to Mount Vernon, where she was a homemaker, and sold Avon and antiques as part of 'Dorothy's Collectibles'. She would travel and sell her antiques, winning prizes for having the best booth. She was very active in Mount Vernon, serving as a Den Mother for Campfire Girls and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Dorothy was in a bowling league, enjoyed roller skating, and could be found climbing trees after her children when they wouldn't come down. She and Robert chaperoned dances, and took their children camping, traveling cross-country, in a bus converted into a camper. She went water skiing (once)'Robert 'helped' Dorothy learn to swim'which motivated her to enroll her children in swimming lessons, and motivated the children to always try new things, at least once. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; son, Steven; granddaughter, Sharon; and siblings, Robert, Donald, Eilene, E.J., and Casey.