Carol M. Gainey's Obituary
GAINEY, Carol M., age 87, of Bellbrook, passed away Monday, November 10, 2025, at Bethany Village/ Senior Living in Centerville.
Carol Marie Gainey was the oldest daughter of Marcus and Lois Bainter and grew up in Kettering, Ohio on East Bataan Drive. She graduated from Fairmont High School. She worked for Ohio Bell telephone company and met and married Delmar Gainey, whose home was in Florida, while he was attending school in Ohio.
Carol and Delmar had two children, Marc and Carrie, and moved to Bellbrook in 1969, where their children attended Bellbrook Schools and the family joined Brookview Swim Club, just down the street from their house. Carol loved the sun and spent many happy hours with the other “pool moms” and kids several of whom became lifelong friends. Carol also enjoyed serving her community and spent years volunteering for the Bellbrook Music Boosters and the Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival committee. Later, Carol began working for Elrick and Lavidge Marketing Research, where she became the supervisor of studies. She was known for managing with kindness and a sense of fun, and her coworkers formed another special group of friends that would last her lifetime.
Carol was a devoted member of the Lutheran Church, and faithfully attended her neighborhood churches, which became another source of love and friendship for her. Carol had a gift. Always friendly, and interested in others, and outgoing, and willing to help, she made and kept friends everywhere she went. Carol often traveled to the Florida panhandle with Delmar to visit his family. She liked southern cooking, and she enjoyed playing the card game “Hand and Foot” with the family and visiting the beach. She loved her southern relatives and nieces and nephew. After Delmar’s passing in 2014, his brother John made a ritual of calling Carol every day.
Carol loved to entertain and get together with friends. She liked to host creative themed parties and to go out and do things with others. Carol was part of a group of longtime friends including her sister Penny, that met the first Tuesday of the month for over 50 years and became the subject of a feature story for the Dayton Daily News. Alone or with others, Carol loved to shop and travel. And when she traveled, she found the shops. She loved to visit Harrods in London when she had the opportunity and liked to purchase their merchandise. She also loved Americana, and red, white and blue items. She loved Coca Cola products and a room in her home had a “Coke” theme. She had an appreciation for color and style and liked to decorate her home and wear fashionable clothes. She loved having her hair styled by her niece, Michelle, and spending time at her shop where all the stylists fondly called her Aunt Carol.
Carol most enjoyed being involved with her children, through their school years and marriages, and when grandchildren arrived, she was delighted. She left her job at Elrick and Lavidge to work full time as nanny to Carrie’s children. She liked to play games and attend all her grandchildren’s events and was prominent in the cheering section for all activities.
Carol was kind, caring, patient and resilient and met life’s challenges with a positive spirit that was inspiring. Through the challenges of later life, including some major health issues, Carol never complained, but remained focused on what she could enjoy. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the caregivers at Bethany Village Cascade and Ohio Living Hospice for their kindness and the gift of their friendship. Truly, Carol made friends wherever she went.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Delmar, in 2014; her parents, Marcus and Lois Bainter; and one brother, Marcus Bainter Jr. She is survived by son, Marc (Kristine) Gainey; daughter, Carrie (Scott) Dunham; four grandchildren, twins Theo and Drew, Molly, and Abby; one sister, Penny (Richard) Lange; niece, Michelle, nephew, Luke, and Great Neice Ellen (Brian) Smith.
The family will receive friends 10 AM to 11 AM on Monday, November 24, at Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel. A celebration of life service immediately follows the visitation at 11 AM on Monday, with Pastor Julie Reuning-Scherer officiating. Conner & Koch Funeral Home of Bellbrook is serving the family. If desired, contributions may be made to Ohio Living Hospice. Condolences to the family may be made at https://www.connerandkoch.com.
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