Winifred Breuner Gaines

Sept. 13, 1928 - Sept. 30, 2015 Winifred B. Gaines passed away at home surrounded by family. She was born at Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento. She attended Sacramento High School, then UC Berkeley where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. At UC Berkeley, she met her husband, Robert Franklin Gaines, and was married on February 24, 1951. They spent the next 64½years together. They had 6 children, though Mary Louise died at a young age. Winifred was a great mother, and also enjoyed helping at Trinity Cathedral Episcopal Church. She had a love of books and became the book store manager. She was the treasurer of the Sacramento Junior League. Her great love of God prompted her to attend Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. She graduated from CDSP with a Masters in Divinity. She became a Deacon at Trinity Cathedral, then the first woman Episcopal Priest in the Diocese. She served as the first woman Chaplain to the California State Senate. Her greatest gift was ministering to the sick and dying which she did as a Chaplain at Mercy San Juan Hospital and through her work with Hospice. She served as a leader of Stephen Ministry at Trinity Cathedral Church and on the board of the UC Davis School of Medicine Department of Pain Medicine. She also was a great counselor and received a Masters in Counseling from University of San Francisco. Winifred was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Louise. She is survived by her husband, Robert, her 3 sisters Jennifer Langan, Kitty Davis, Debbie Davis, her 5 children Robert Gaines Jr, Clare Andrews, Ted Gaines, Peter Gaines, Margaret Hutchinson, her 15 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. The family would like to extend our thanks to her caregivers Tevita (David) Ravuravu and Mili Qoroya who Winnie adored. Memorial contributions can be made to the Winnie Gaines Scholarship Fund, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 2451 Ridge Rd, Berkeley, CA 94709-1211; www.cdsp.edu. A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Cathedral Church on Friday October 9 at 7 PM at 2620 Capitol Ave in Sacramento.