James D. Gaines Sr.

Mr. James Dempsey "Joe Big Money" Gaines Sr., age 63, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 24, 2019. He was born on April 1, 1956 to the late Dempsey and Para Lee Gaines in Akron, Ohio. He was raised in East Akron and was a member of Macedonia Baptist Church in the McKinley, East Akron community. He served fifteen years for the United States Army Reserves, earning the rank of First Sergeant. In the late 80s, he became a Prep and Chef Cook at the Girves Brown Derby Restaurant at Chapel Hill Mall. He later became a machine operator at Ferry Industries Inc, formerly known as Ultra Ford Industries Inc., for eight years, giving him the name "Big Money" Gaines, and for those eight years, he never once took any vacations or weekends off. He worked seven days straight, 365 days a year. He was definitely what you would call a prime example of a hard-working husband, father, leader, and provider for his wife and for his children. Some of his favorite God-Gifted talents and hobbies were going fishing, attending family cookouts, singing, and playing his lead and bass guitar. He was also one heck of a keyboard player and loved listening to his old school music collection of artists like James Brown, Rick James, Teena Marie, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Temptations, Carlos Santana with John McLaughlin, Donald Byrd, Maze Featuring: Frankie Beverly, Third World, The O'Jays, The Delfonics, Sade, and last but not least, Miss Patti LaBelle's Somewhere Over the Rainbow...
He loved all his family and friends who knew him and had the utmost respect, honor, and love for him. He lived his life as a man of Baptist faith and we are confident he is now in Heaven.
Preceded in death by his sister, Doris Graham and infant brother, Joseph Gaines.
He will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 36 years, Latona Orr Gaines; children, James Dempsey Gaines Jr., Brandon Lamar Gaines, and Ramon Patterson; his sister, Carylon (Milton) Johnson, stepsister, Patricia (William) Smith, and his baby sister, Calvenua (Lucius) Parish; brother and longtime childhood friend, Terry Thompson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other dearest and closest friends of our family. Condolences, flowers, and cards may be sent to 518 Zahn Dr, Akron, Ohio 44313 USA.