Gaines Wolaver, son of the late Carl Wendell (Sally) and Agatha Hall Wolaver, grew up in Italy and graduated from Italy High School in 1958.

He attended Navarro College, Tarleton State University and graduated from Texas Wesleyan College in Ft. Worth with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962. He also did graduate work at TCU and East Texas State College.

He married Linda Thomas of Mertens in 1964. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Gaines started work in Red Oak in August of 1966 as high school biology teacher and head football coach. Previously he had coached at Frost, Center and Mansfield high schools. In 1978 he was named Athletic Director for Red Oak. He continued teaching biology and working as athletic director.

In the early 1980s he made the decision to get out of the class-room teaching position but remained on as athletic director. He worked in that position until the end of the1985-86 school year. At this time, the state decided that in order to work in the athletic director’s position, he must go back to school and get the Administrator’s Certificate or go back into the classroom as a teacher.

Red Oak ISD was in the process of hiring someone in the position of Maintenance Director. Gaines was hired for that position and is still employed by the district in the Maintenance Supervisor’s role today.

In his honor, the ROISD School Board and Administration have named the maintenance shop after him. It is now known as the Gaines Wolaver Support Service Center, and the name of the street running in front of the facility has been changed to Gaines Way.

In 2012 Gaines celebrated his 50th year in education. Italy High School is proud to call Gaines Wolaver an Italy Ex-student.