Homer Perry Gainey, Jr.

Homer Perry Gainey, Jr. was born in 1923 in Brooker, Florida to Nancy and Homer Gainey. Perry attended Starke High School where he chose to give up his place on the football team to take a paying job driving the county school bus. Determined to leave the family farm, Perry attended the University of Florida. While in school, he worked at the Florida State Capitol when Congressman Lex Green appointed him to the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1947, after graduating from West Point, Perry was stationed at Randolph air Force Base. He was on active duty and attending St. Mary's Law School when he met Cary Margaret "Sissy" Sitterle and they married in 1949.

Perry's interests included reading, discussing history and politics, genealogy, flying airplanes, and keeping up with his classmates from West Point. Despite weakening health, he enjoyed his weekly Conopus Club lunches. The most important tradition was Perry's lunch group - Walter Brown, Bob Daubert, Ed Duxstad, George Ensley, Bob Lepere, Bob Moore, Andrew Novak, Tom Schmitz and Bill Wood - which began forty years ago at La Louisianne restaurant.

In his senior year at West Point, Perry led the Automobile Committee, which allocated cars for graduating cadets at a time after the War when it was almost impossible to get a car. Arranging car sales to fellow cadets and the West Point Commandant began Perry's post military career in the car business. Ultimately, Perry had car dealerships in his native Florida and Texas and established Equitable Trust Company.

Perry is survived by Sissy, his wife of 56 years; his son Mark Gainey and wife, Cassie; his daughter, Cary and her husband, Tony Straus; Carol and her husband, Jack Locke III; and Marcia and her husband, Chip Archer. Perry was an attentive grandfather to his twelve grandchildren: Matthew and Peter Gainey; Collin, Alec and Perry Straus; Jack IV, Grace, and Stacy Locke and Charlotte, Annie, Maggie, and Brooke Archer. He is preceded in death by his one brother and four older sisters. Perry is survived by his youngest sister, Eva Faye and her husband, Melvin Spooner, of Jupiter, Florida.

Perry died peacefully at home with his children at his side. The Gainey family is especially thankful to Betty Sosa and Jaimie Ramirez for their loving care.