David Wayne Raines passed away peacefully in his home in Baltimore, MD on Friday, February 12, 2021 at the age of 58. David is preceded in death by his partner William E. Wilburn, Jr., father Vernon Ray Raines, and brother James Rodney Raines. David is survived by his mother Nancy Raines and his five sisters Brenda Schreiber and her husband Wesley, Sharon Locklear and her husband Tom, Donna Spiegel and her husband Mike, Rebecca Gonzalez and her husband Lorenzo, and Gina Vogel and her husband Ira. He is also survived by his seven nephews and nieces Christopher, Tara, and Tessa Locklear, Matthew Antonis, Brandy Raines Graham, Trey Collision, Ryan and Alice Raines, and the children of David's nieces and nephews.
David was born on October 29, 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in the Baltimore metro area, making Maryland his permanent home. He had a large family and was shy as a child. His reserve did not stop him from cleverly observing when he could get away with pulling pranks on his siblings. There are plenty of memories and stories to share of David’s spirited jokes. You only have to know some of David’s nicknames “Davey”, “Davey Doodle”, and "Mortie" to understand his family and friend’s love and affection for him.
David lived in several places with his career, including cities in Maryland, New York, and Virginia. David held a number of positions in retail and hit his stride while working for Macy’s. David was promoted to a senior executive position, opening a new $60 million dollar store due to being an excellent merchant, smart, articulate, kind, and hard working.
While David had a successful career what he’s most known for is being a ray of sunshine, breaking into song no matter the audience whether it be singing the oldies, show tunes, or opera. He faced many challenges with illness, yet persevered with courage and strength. He saw the good in people and situations, all with flare and a sense of humor. David loved learning about different cultures though cooking and sharing his recipes, with his favorite dish being eggplant parmesan.
David, his partner William, and their friends lived life to the fullest! Together they dined out, supported the arts and music, took in festivals, enjoyed the energy of casinos, had fun at the beach, traveled, enjoyed the latest movie, and watched classic films on TV.
David was a “one of kind” cherished soul and will never be forgotten. There was a private gathering with David’s family under the care of Charles S. Zeiler & Son, Inc. David’s family invites you to share a fond memory and photo of him on the dignity memorial page: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/baltimore-md/david-raines-10053575
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18