Arthur Joseph Gaines, Jr., was born on August 3, 1945 to Theresa Pineau Gaines and Arthur Joseph Gaines, Sr. The second of five children, Art grew up in Bridgeport, CT, with siblings Joanne Sistrand (dec.), Ray Gaines, Sr., Eileen Messina and Kathy Piccirillo, and was always surrounded by loving and fun extended family. Art met Aline “Aleah” Cote playing spouses in a high-school play, a role that evolved into 52 years of marriage. Their first adventure was serving in the Air Force, where Art was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. Art attained the rank of Sargent before being honorably discharged in 1968. The couple returned to Connecticut where their daughter, Chrishelle, was born. The couple both worked in Radiology in various area settings including in Danbury Hospital. They lived in Bethel, Southbury, and Branford before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Art’s expertise as an X-ray engineer led to the establishment of his business, Artec Imaging, and the creation, patent and manufacture of the EquusCT, a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art rotating table used to perform diagnostic CT scans on horses. He customed-modified his design to enable CT exams on zoo animals and even dolphins. The EquusCT tables are in service at large animal veterinary schools U.S., Europe, Thailand and Australia.
Art was the most kind and quietly loving man to his family and his life’s work. He genuinely enjoyed the people in his life and having fun. As a child he loved model trains and tinkering in his family basement. As an adult he loved boating, flying RC planes and photography. He was an engineer through and through and knew all about airplanes, machinery and devoured the TV program “How It’s Made.” He loved the beach and would be in the first car on any roller coaster. Besides his wife “Lynnie”, his greatest joy was his daughter Chris, her husband, Matt Micolucci and grandson, Matthew Micolucci, and we cannot forget his beloved dog, Ginger.
Seeking sunshine and warmth, Art and Aleah moved to The Villages, Florida in 2018. They enjoyed their friends and neighbors and the beauty of their community. Although never a smoker, Art was diagnosed with Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis and Pulmonary Hypertension in November 2018. In November 2019, he underwent a bi-lateral lung transplant. While his journey had a different ending than we all hoped, he is now flying with family, friends and angels in heaven.
