Brother Terence Gainer died peacefully in the Lord on November 7, 2014 at Rouge Valley Ajax-Pickering Hospital. He was in his 87th year and in religious life for 65 years. Terry was born in Arthur, Ontario, the son of Albert and Rosalie Foley on July 24, 1927. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at Guelph on April 26, 1949. After first vows, he remained in Guelph as a tailor until 1955 when he moved to Montreal to work in the Loyola College bookstore. Terry was one of the first brothers to make tertianship, which he did for three months in 1958 at El Paso, Texas. In 1959, he moved to 2 Dale Avenue in Toronto to become brother socius to the provincial. Gonzaga High School in Newfoundland opened in 1962 and Terry was missioned there a year later as treasurer, and then minister of the community. He loved life on "The Rock" and remained there until 1974, when he became the assistant director and treasurer of Martyrs’ Shrine, Midland.
Terry returned to the Province Curia in 1977 when he was made assistant treasurer of the Province. But that same year he had open heart by-pass surgery and the prognosis then was not encouraging. That he lived for several more decades is nothing short of a miracle. He suffered from minor health challenges which caused him to withdraw into himself from time to time over his life. In 1990, lay personnel moved into the treasury and Terry went as treasurer to Manresa in Pickering. During this stay at Pickering, he served at Martyrs’ Shrine during the season; in the off-season he was assistant to the superior at La Storta. Once his assignment at the Shrine ceased, he returned to 2 Dale Avenue in 1998 and worked in the Jesuit Development Office.
Increasing health and medication problems caused him to move to the Infirmary at Pickering in late 2008. Of a balanced temperament, Terry was always interested in group gatherings and never failed to visit with his numerous cousins, friends and brothers in the Lord. For a few years he went weekly by Go Train and subway to help the Jesuit Development Office at the Province Curia. He loved Jesuit retreats and jubilees and was always on the lookout for news and tidbits on various people or apostolates. Terry always regarded St. John’s and Midland as the alpha and omega of his long, productive life. His love for life, no matter how tenuous it might have been at various stages of illness, was an inspiration, not only to Jesuits, but especially to the lay staff. Often he was taken out to lunches by them and they regularly came to La Storta residence for the weekend social and dinner. In his life Terry suffered interiorly at times. But his last decade of life in the Infirmary was very fulfilling and enjoyable.
In memory of Brother Gainer, donations may be made to the Jesuit Development Office, 43 Queen's Park Crescent East, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C3.
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