Community Remembers Evelyn Gaines

A community is remembering long-time WNEG Radio and TV co-owner Evelyn Gaines this week.

She passed away Tuesday night at the age of 88 years old.

David and Michelle Austin worked for the Gaines family for many years at the TV and the radio station.

“We had a lot of fun at the station,” said Michelle Austin. “Everybody there was like a family.”

She said she enjoyed going to work there.

“I was just thinking, I met Evelyn, it has been 47 years ago, I started working at the station part-time in 1970,” said David Austin. “We are just so sorry to hear about Evelyn’s passing. She was a sweet lady.”

Charles Head called it a sad day to hear of Evelyn’s passing.

“The fact that they entrusted me with something that was so important in their lives really shaped me not only as a broadcaster, but as a person as well,” said Head.

Evelyn Gaines was also very active in the community.

She served with the Toccoa Chapter of Camp Fire Girls and was on the National Council of Camp Fire Girls, receiving the National Luther Halsey Gulick Award in 1969.

In addition, she was a member of the Pilot Club of Toccoa and the Stephens County Hospital Auxiliary, having helped to open an auxiliary-staffed snack bar at the hospital for those visiting loved ones in the hospital setting.

She was also instrumental in the founding of “Lifeline,” a personal emergency system which allowed people to live at home with independence, a feeling of safety, and peace of mind.

Funeral services for Evelyn Gaines are at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church of Toccoa.

She is survived by her husband, Roy, daughter, Connie, son and daughter-in-law, Stuart and Kim, and other family members.