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View Full Version : Patrick Gainer, RIP



sanking
30-Nov-2015, 12:07
I learned of the passing of Patrick Gainer this morning, in a message from his daughter.

"Patrick Anthony Gainer, beloved husband and father, passed away at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland on November 28, 2015 at the age of 88. Loving, pious, generous to a fault, humorous, brilliant and talented, Patrick was a retired NASA engineer who loved to recall his work in designing star charts for and with the Mercury astronauts. In addition to his work at NASA, he was oboist for the Peninsula Symphony, Norfolk Symphony, Virginia Symphony and Governor's Palace Orchestra of Colonial Williamsburg. He was an accomplished photographer and photographic researcher. He published an article about “home-brewed” developers for black and white film in Petersen's Guide to Creative Darkroom Techniques. Another of his major articles was for the magazine "Darkroom and Creative Camera Techniques" (November / December 1994 issue) entitled "Non Chromogenic Antiscorbutic Developers for Black and White", which was his humorous way of saying, "I have concocted some developers for black-and-white film that contain ascorbic acid." Note that ascorbic acid is commonly known as "Vitamin C". His new formula for developer involving common "Vitamin C" could be procured at any health food store for significantly less money than traditional developing agents and became popular with the “analog” photographic community as well as some university art programs which greatly appreciated the cost savings. He was also a contributing editor for Photo Techniques magazine.

He was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, on July 14, 1927, the son of Patrick Ward Gainer, renowned folklorist and West Virginia University English professor, and Antionette Kizinski. He served in the US Army from 1945 to 1947, was a graduate of West Virginia University, and worked for NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia from 1952 until his retirement in 1982. He is survived by five of his six children, 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, including son Patrick Lloyd Gainer and his daughter Erin Gainer; daughter Mary Theresa Gainer Calame and her children Ann Hancock, Joni Robbins, Daniel Moseley, and Mary Riggs; grandson Ian Gainer, son of his late son Robert Michael Gainer; daughter Alice Louise Gainer Standin and her husband William Gary Standin; daughter Frances Ellen Gainer Davey, her husband Robert Davey and their children John and Patrick Davey; and Christine Marie Gainer Barton, her husband Michael Barton and their children Rosemary and Anthony Barton. He is also survived by his brothers Michael and Thomas Gainer, and sister Miriam Goder. Preceding him in death was his beloved wife Rosemary Layman Gainer, with whom he long wished to be reunited. God willing, it is so.
A memorial in his honor will be held by family members in the Spring. At that time, his ashes will be interred in Good Shepherd Cemetery, in Tanner, West Virginia. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 701 Mineral Rd, Glenville, WV 26351, or to West Virginia Public Radio (https://secure.wvpublic.org/donate/) both of which organizations gave him much joy when he relocated to West Virginia upon his retirement."

May he rest in peace.

Sandy

Jim Fitzgerald
30-Nov-2015, 12:47
Sandy, very sad to hear. Pat Gainer was someone I learned a lot from when I was first starting out in photography. The very best to his friends and family.

Michael Kadillak
30-Nov-2015, 12:56
Terribly sorry to hear of his passing. His many contributions to this venue have been around for so long that we tend to forget that each year we get a bit older and life on this earth is not a perpetual thing. He surely packed a lot of living into those years and his legacy will surely continue in part by the materials he selflessly shared with us. God Bless his family.

cowanw
30-Nov-2015, 13:01
I often think of Pat and still enjoy reading his articles. I expect I will always remember him as someone who lived the life of a common sense individual photographer who made a contribution.

Andrew O'Neill
30-Nov-2015, 14:56
That is very sad news. We all learned so much from him, from all his PT mag articles, to all his contributions at Apug. Very sad news.

Ken Lee
30-Nov-2015, 15:34
Thank you for this Sandy.

I made a donation to his local Public Radio station in his honor and encourage others to do so. Thank you for the suggestion.

Pax vobiscum

IanG
30-Nov-2015, 15:59
Thank you for posting Sandy.

Patrick was a valued member of the forums and one of the nicest poster you could engage with, a great guy.

Ian

David Karp
30-Nov-2015, 18:13
Sorry to hear of his passing. I really enjoyed reading his articles as well as his posts on APUG. He seemed like a genuine nice guy and a fun character.

StoneNYC
30-Nov-2015, 18:23
Thanks for posting Sandy, sad but a long and fruitful life.

j.e.simmons
30-Nov-2015, 18:25
I'm also sorry to hear of his passing. I use information he passed along almost daily. He will be missed.

peter schrager
30-Nov-2015, 18:33
Patrick is off somewhere developing film in the big canister in the sky. he was a really cool down to earth human being.
someone should gather all his writings together so they are easy to find. fun reading!!
best, peter

John Kasaian
30-Nov-2015, 19:04
Sad news.

BBW
30-Nov-2015, 19:28
Sad news indeed. I learned much from his comments on how chemistry can work on film, with a bit of nudging from some extras added.

Jim Noel
30-Nov-2015, 22:41
Very sad news. He has left us a legacy of knowledge which will live at least as long as there is film.
Thank you Sandy for getting the word out.

Steve Sherman
1-Dec-2015, 04:23
Condolences to his family, he was a a valued contributor here and he will be greatly missed. RIP Patrick Gainer

Wayne
1-Dec-2015, 07:21
:( Very sorry to hear this. I still learn a lot from Pat's postings and enjoyed his presence.

Fr. Mark
1-Dec-2015, 07:50
May his memory be eternal!

desertrat
1-Dec-2015, 10:21
He will be missed. On the positive side, he had a good run. At 88, he lived a good deal longer than the average. A few years ago I started using his basic PC-sodium carbonate and PC-borax formulas and have used little else since then.

David A. Goldfarb
1-Dec-2015, 12:04
Thanks for passing on the news, Sandy. Patrick was always a valuable contributor when he was able to be active on APUG and on this forum and was a moderating presence when controversy may have been brewing elsewhere on the forum. I certainly learned a good deal from what he had to say and will miss him.

Jerry Bodine
1-Dec-2015, 12:16
A brilliant man and always willing to help those of us who needed it. Definitely will be missed. RIP Patrick. You've earned it.

John Bowen
1-Dec-2015, 13:42
May he Rest in Peace. May God bless his family.

Old-N-Feeble
1-Dec-2015, 13:53
...:(

resummerfield
1-Dec-2015, 14:20
This is very sad news. I always enjoyed his articles in Darkroom Techniques magazine and his participation on APUG. I'll make a donation to WV Public Radio for him. RIP, Patrick.

Doremus Scudder
2-Dec-2015, 02:59
Sorry to hear this. I'll miss his contributions. My condolences to his family.

Doremus

cdholden
6-Dec-2015, 16:13
Thanks for sharing, Sandy. I'm saddened to hear of his passing.
My condolences to his family and friends.

Chris