Wallace Gainer Jr.'s Obituary
Wallace Wally Gainer Jr., 91, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 29, 2012, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland.
Wally was born on August 26, 1921. in Neche, North Dakota to Wallace Sr. & Myrtle May Symington Gainer where the family worked a large farm. He was the youngest of four boys.
The family moved to Newberg, Oregon, from North Dakota when Wally was a young school boy. He attended and graduated from Newberg High School in 1939. It was here at high school that he met and later married Aline McKee on April 4, 1943. Before they married, Wally joined the United States Coast Guard in 1942 and served till 1945. He was a radioman first class stationed on Gardner Island in the South Pacific.
After the service Wally joined one of his brothers in co-owning a grocery store in Newberg until 1950 when he and Aline moved to St. Helens, Oregon, to purchase their own grocery store, Gainer's Cash Food Market. They worked this store until 1964 when the store was sold. Wally became the manager for The Port of St. Helens for the next 19 years retiring in 1983. He did keep his ties to the grocery industry through partnerships that owned other grocery stores in the greater Portland area.
Wally was a long time member/contributor of many organizations including: Shriner's and Shriner's Hospital, Masons, Kiwanis, Elks, and the Plymouth Presbyterian Church.
Wally enjoyed people. He was compassionate and sincere and always had a positive attitude and a smile. He loved his family dearly and friends were precious to him. Traveling, camping & boating were favorite leisure time activities as well fishing and hunting.
Survivors include: 5 Children: Gary, Dwain, Larry Gainer all of Warren; Brenda Jennings of Eugene, Daelene Schwartz of Portland; 8 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren.
A private memorial service will be held Sunday, November 4, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Plymouth Presbyterian Church with a private crypt entombment at Columbia Memorial Gardens-Scappoose, Oregon
On-line condolences may be sent to the family at www.columbiafh.com
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner's Hospital-Portland
Columbia Funeral Home-Directors
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