Donald Gaines

We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ Gunderson-Camacho Funeral Home – Mt. Horeb

I always looked forward to seeing Don at Chemistry dept. events. He always had something to laugh about and interesting stories about the area around where he lived and more. I know my husband, Chuck Casey, who died recently, had a great interest in his chemistry. His love of animals is so impressive also. We'll miss him. Martha Casey

What a wonderful man. He was always able to provide counsel an encouragement to graduate students from other research groups. A few years after graduation, I offered to show him the 2 or 3 best pictures from a long trip to the Western states. He said, “You really think you have that many?” —David Shaw, Treichel PhD student

I was sorried to learn of Don’s passing in this morning’s WSJ, although I had recently heard from Hyuk Yu that he was in decline. Don and I were longtime fellow chemistry professors at UW-Madison, and over the years we shared many interests in boron chemistry as well as adventures together on the “Spring River Canoe Trips” that Dan Cornwell led for many years to beautiful waterways all over Wisconsin. I’m now in Capitol Lakes retirement home in Madison and have been unable to see Don except on rare occasions when he was back from Mt. Horeb for some chemistry event. But I still treasure the beautiful “Pasque flower” picture that Don took about 45 years ago at our farm (Louis’ Bluff) at the Dells. The Pasque flowers appear only in rare “dry prairie” exposures, such as are found at the top of our bluff, now protected SNA and a former island in Glacial Lake Wisconsin. The time of its brief Springtime appearance is unpredictable, so it was only on our third trip up to Dells (and difficult climb to the top – too much for me now!) that Don was able to get this picture. It still hangs in my apartment here and was a joy to many visitors over the years. Thanks, Don! Frank Weinhold

Shared a photo.