Mr. L M Gaines, 68 of St. Petersburg, FL passed away on Thursday, November 27, 2014 at Bay Pines VA Health Care System (C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center).  He was born in Jasper, FL on June 25, 1946 to the late Nicholas Gaines and Liza Paul.  He attended public schools in Hamilton County and was a graduate of J.R.E. Lee High school in 1966.

He was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War where he was awarded 3 purple hearts.  He owned and operated LM Gaines Well Drilling Service for over thirty years. He was also employed as a locomotive mechanic with CSX Railroad.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis A. Gaines; three sons: Louis “Fred” Daniels-Gaines of White Springs, FL, Louis M. and Jason Gaines both of St. Petersburg; four sisters: Ruby Roberson and Marie Hines both of Jasper, FL; Julia Gaines of Ft. Lauderdale and Rev. Paula Jackson of Daytona Beach, FL;  three brothers: Willie Paul of Collinsville, IL, Nicholas Gaines of Ilion, NY and Johnnie Lee Cobbs of Ft. Lauderdale; three sisters in law: Cassandra Smith of Jasper, FL , Aledia McCloud of Lakeview Terrace, CA and Sherry McCall of St. Petersburg;  adopted daughter, Farren Davis; five granddaughters known to him respectively as numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 (Keyara, Keyasia, Keymani, Jaida, and Jaime); devoted friends who he considered brothers:  Kevin Greeno, Arthur Wilson and Lonnie Borbolla; and a host of cousins and sorrowing friends.

A gathering of friends and family will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at Elim Seventh-Day Adventist Church, elimsda.org, 4824 2nd Avenue South, St. Petersburg, 33711.  Services by VFW Post #10209, Spring Hill, will begin at 11:00 AM and graveside services with military honors will follow at 2:00 PM at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, 33713.