James Egelston Gaines, Jr. “Jamie”

MIRE - A Memorial Mass will be held Saturday, March 14, 2020, at noon in Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Mire, for James Egelston Gaines Jr. “Jamie”, who died on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Bandera, Texas.
Born on December 8, 1948, in Louisville Kentucky, Jamie was raised in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. He attended school in Frankfort and worked on several local farms during his teenage years. In 1970, Jamie graduated from the University Of Kentucky College Of Agriculture.
In 1971, Jamie was accepted into Naval Flight Training – beginning a diverse 20 year career in the US Navy. Helicopter pilot, Flight Instructor, Air Boss, Surface Warfare Officer, Staff Officer, Maintenance Officer, and Cost Analysist were among the many positions he held. During his Navy career, Jamie went on nine overseas deployments. Jamie retired in 1991 with the rank of Commander. His medals, ribbons and insignia include Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy “E” Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medals; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal, Navy Expert Rifle Medal, Naval Aviator Insignia and Surface Warfare Insignia.
Skeet was a huge part of Jamie’s life, being introduced to the sport in 1978. Due to Navy commitments, he wasn’t able to participate competitively until 1987. Upon his retirement from the Navy, skeet took Jamie’s full attention. In 1999, Jamie moved to Texas and found “skeet heaven”. He shot many Texas and major shoots throughout the country. On May 9, 2003, Jamie lost his left hand in a construction accident. With Wayne Mays as his coach, he was back shooting skeet within a month and shot a 100 at his first shoot after the accident. Jamie was inducted into the Armed Forces Hall of Fame, Texas Skeet Hall of Fame, and National Skeet Shooters Association Hall of Fame. Some of his accomplishments included Mini and World .410 titles, selection to numerous All American Teams, 5 400 x 400s, and World 2 Man Military Civilian HOA record.
Jamie was somewhat of a “Renaissance Man”, able to do almost anything he set his mind to – even after he lost his left hand. His “retirement” jobs included horse farm manager, service manager at a tractor dealer and pipeline manager. Jamie also was a welder/fabricator and became well known in the San Antonio area for his outstanding work.
Jamie loved hunting and was always looking for a good hunt – bear in Virginia, geese in Maryland, deer in Texas, duck in Louisiana, quail in Idaho – it didn’t matter, he was “game” for it. He didn’t restrict himself to the United States though, traveling to Uruguay and Ireland to help with their “flying rodent” populations.
Jamie is survived by his two sons, Denton D. Gaines and fiancé Kathleen Burns of Bradenton, Florida and T. Griffin Gaines and wife Kiara Fitzgerald of New Orleans; one brother, John Gaines and wife Missy of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; and two former spouses, Kay Gaines of Bradenton, Florida and Lorraine Shelton-Gaines of Rayne.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ann Griffin Gaines and James E. Gaines, and his sister, Sara “Sally” Catherine Gaines, all of Frankfort, Kentucky.
Family requests that memorial donations be made to the Center for the Intrepid, Prosthetics Dept., 3851 Roger Brooke Dr, San Antonio, TX 78234.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gossen Funeral Home, Inc., Rayne, LA 334-3141.