Maurice Gainey Jr.

GAINEY MAURICE ALOYSIUS GAINEY JR "CHUCK" COL, US ARMY (Ret.) Passed away suddenly at home and joined our Lord and his wife, Kitty, on December 10, 2009, at the age of 86. Chuck was a veteran of two wars and retired following over thirty-three years of active service. A native of the nation''s capital, growing up on 49th and V Street NW, in Washington, DC, Chuck was the second of two sons born to Maurice Aloysius Senior and May Gainey. His parents and his brother, Daniel, preceded him into the next life. A loving son, husband, and father, his loving and caring nature lives on in all those whose lives he touched. Enlisting in the Army Combat Engineers in 1942, Chuck went ashore at Normandy in June 1944 and walked across Europe for almost a year putting in Bailey Bridges and taking out mines. Following the war, he returned to the United States, enrolled in the University of Maryland, joined ROTC, and met the lovely Miss Mary Kathryn Johnston -- aka "Kitty", the love of his life. When she refused to marry him without better job prospects, he requested and received a commission in the Regular Army. Determined never to walk to war again, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Transportation. He commanded troops at all levels and his outstanding mentorship is reflected by the legacy of the many leaders he trained and developed. Following tours in England, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alaska, New Orleans, West Point, Vietnam, Washington DC, Korea, and Germany, Chuck and Kitty settled in Virginia Beach in 1979. Following military retirement, Chuck grew his beard but refused to lead a sedentary life. He was a valuable, active, and dedicated volunteer to the Virginia Beach Police Department, the Virginia Stage Company, and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Strong and comfortable in his faith, Chuck''s understanding and sympathetic nature was a comfort and aid to those in need of counsel and friendship. A deep, reflective thinker and a good listener, Chuck always reached out to others, saw the good in them, and found ways to help them better themselves. He was preceded by his wife of nearly 60 years, Mary Kathryn Johnston Gainey earlier this year and survived by his three children, son, CW4 (Ret.) Michael D. Gainey and his wife, Sally Hicks of Huntsville, AL, daughter, LTG Kathleen M. Gainey and her husband, BG Edward P. Donnelly of Arlington, VA and son, COL Thomas K. Gainey and his wife, Suzanne Gainey of Garmisch, Germany. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Nathan Gainey of Enterprise, AL, Neil Gainey and his wife, Bobby Jo Gainey of Augusta, GA, Joel Gainey of New Orleans, LA, 2LT Scott Gainey of Chesapeake, VA, Kent Gainey and Renee Gainey of Garmisch, Germany. Funeral Mass and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery on March 1, 2010 at 12:45 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to a local Saint Vincent de Paul Society or through their national website at http:// www.svdpusa.org .