Teresa Gaines

Teresa Mechele Gaines, was born on September 19, 1968, in Newport, Rhode Island, to the late Sylvester Gaines and Fannie M. Gaines (Cunningham).  She departed this life peacefully at Leigh Memorial Hospital on August 26, 2018.

Teresa accepted Christ and was baptized at an early age, placing membership at Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church.  She later moved her membership to Macedonia Baptist Church, in Chesapeake, VA, where she was an active member in the choir and the Singles Ministry for many years.  She later moved her membership to New Galilee Baptist Church, Chesapeake, VA and was an active choir member as well.  Teresa loved the Lord and remained a faithful ad prayerful church member until her passing.   Teresa was also an active and longtime member of the Tidewater Gospel Choral Union, a subsidiary of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and choruses, a national organization founded by Dr. John Dorsey organization.  She truly enjoyed good gospel music.

Teresa attended Norfolk Public Schools.  She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1986.  She attended Old Dominion University for one semester, studying under computer science.  She later decided to purse cosmetology studies.  Teresa attended ECPI and became a licensed cosmetologist.  She continued her education and received Hospital Coding Certification through ECPI.  Teresa worked as an independent cosmetologist for over 20 years, working first under Dee’ Beauty Salon for nine years then joined shop owner and friend Sharon Lassiter at Five Point where she continued styling.  In more recent years she worked part-time hours as a cosmetologist, while working full-time as a hospital billing and Coding specialist.  She was employed by Sentara Hospital at her death.

Teresa leaves to cherish her love and memories, a devoted son, DeAnte Kyree Gaines, Sr. (Special friend Chanelle Reynolds, one grandchild, DeAnte Kyree Gaines, Jr., her mother and father, Fannie M. and Edward Cunningham, a dedicated brother Arthur L. Gaines (Delaware), a loving sister Christina Cunningham (Evansville, Indiana); and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, several adopted spiritual sisters, other relatives and friends, who will all truly miss her loving smile and kind words.

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