Larry Press Gaines

He was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 2, 1945 to Jerry and Shirley Gaines. He was a lifelong Kansas City area resident.

Larry remained in high spirits throughout his life surrounded by loving family & loyal friends. Larry was truly the life of the party in every room he stepped foot into. He married the love of his life, Kiesa & had his only child soon after, Kerry. They lived a full life together for several decades. Larry thrived as a father, restaurant owner & eventually as an expert in the restaurant segment of commercial real estate.

Larry lived an adventurous & incredibly full life before settling down with his family. He graduated from Pittsburgh State university with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. He traveled across the country opening & managing restaurants — such as being the opening manager at the first Houlihans. He lived in St. Louis where he managed a restaurant for the National Hockey League, Hawaii, New Orleans & various other cities throughout his journey. Not only did he enjoy everything he did, he made everyone in his near proximity feel special & loved as well.

Larry ultimately returned to Kansas City where he continued his career as a restaurateur — owning restaurants such as Maggie Jones, Southport Cafe & La Cocina Del Puerco. Larry made countless memories & lifelong friends along the way. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Kiesa and his mother & father, Shirley & Jerry. He is survived by his loving son Kerry & daughter in law Kelsi, his grandchildren Harrison & Press and his sisters Margo & Vicki.

In addition to the people in Larry’s life, he loved attending Royals games & listening to them on the radio. He preferred to listen to the game in a lawn chair outside while “catching some rays.” He had a deep affection for cars as well & owned a wide variety of cars throughout his life - from his beloved Triumph to Kansas City’s first Expedition with TV’s in the head rests. Those TVs weren’t for Larry, they were a symbol of his generosity & ability to bring joy to those around him.

Larry continued to make those around him smile and laugh until the day he transitioned. He lived his life as one of the most generous people to grace this earth. And because of his disposition & generosity with his love, he was surrounded with love his entire life. Many of his loyal loving friends & caretakers went above and beyond to make sure his final days were filled with comfort and support. Thank you to Marilyn Cohen, Eileen Jagoda, Jack Black, Richard Rice & the Brookdale staff for going above and beyond during Larry’s final days.