Sue Gaines

Sue Gaines, 73, of Atlantic, Iowa, died Friday, October 21, 2022, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.

Sue Ann was born on August 4, 1949, near Davenport, Iowa, and later adopted becoming the daughter of Roy and Doris (Stormer) McClain.  One of her favorite memories from her childhood was when she came home to Atlantic and her grandpa insisted they stop and buy her a baby doll, something she had never had.  Sue graduated from Atlantic High School and following graduation, she received her LPN license from Southwestern Community College in Clarinda.  Sue’s best friend at college was Jill Brown and the two of them always had a good laugh about how many trips they made to the gas station for lemonade.  She worked as an LPN at the Atlantic Hospital, Atlantic Care Center, Heritage House and retired from Colonial Manor in Anita in the early 2000’s.  Sue had a gift for caring for others and especially enjoyed working with residents with advanced age and Alzheimer’s.

On January 17, 1976, she was united in marriage to Robert Gaines in Atlantic.  The couple looked forward to hosting all the holidays and even though space got tight as the family grew, the happiness it brought them was endless. Family was her everything and they all knew her door was open; she was a good listener and you always left knowing she loved you!  It was always a joke that she would say, “well you don’t think I am feeding the whole neighborhood, do you?” and then turn around and feed them because that was just who she was.  Her grandkids brought her great joy!   Sue also said many times that she wasn’t going to use a smartphone but lo and behold after she got one, she became pretty “techy” with it, figuring out Facebook and other apps, the coloring ones being her favorite. 

Sue was a member of the First Church of Christ.  She was dedicated to her faith and serving her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Sue is survived by her children, John (Jill) Gaines, Mike (Diana) Gaines, Danielle (Shawn) Butler and Darci (Chris) Coatney; her grandchildren, Joey (Amelia) Rowe, Kalie Gaines, Kalen Gaines, Kyle Larsen, Brandon (Brittany Deloske) Gaines, Dylan (Kayla Tatum) Gaines, T’Kaia Butler, Micah Sanchez, Devon Butler, and Austin Coatney; her great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Teri Gaines; sisters, Amy Lett, Tracie Evans and Nadine Gladwin; honorary sister, Dory Schrader Laughridge; brother, Ron (Mary Kathryn) Hagge; and many nieces and nephews. 

She is preceded in death by her father, Roy McClain; mother, Doris (Charlie) Scott; husband, Robert Gaines; and son, Robert Gaines II.

Visitation with the family present will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 28^th at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 29^th at the First Church of Christ in Atlantic.  Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery.  The service will be recorded and available on the funeral home website by noon on Sunday.

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Sue’s family and her arrangements.  Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.