James ‘Jim’ Michael Gainey

James "Jim" Michael Gainey, born July 3, 1952, in Moline, Illinois, died June 27, 2026, in Santa Monica, California. He was 73. Jim spent more than forty years in career counseling and vocational rehabilitation, serving as a Deputy Labor Commissioner in California. Colleagues and supervisors consistently praised his technical expertise, communication skills, and ability to negotiate even the most difficult situations. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University, Long Beach, in 1974, and went on to complete a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1976. The California Labor Commissioner recognized him for his outstanding service and technical proficiency. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Jim was known as a kind-hearted and patient man who never complained and remained fiercely loyal to those he loved. His commitment to family was absolute. In 2013, while visiting his daughter Kathy and son-in-law Zach in Maryland for a prenatal appointment, Jim received word that their micro-preemie daughter had been born weighing less than a pound. Though he had an important meeting waiting in California, Jim boarded a flight home as planned—but the moment his plane landed, he turned around and caught the next flight back to Maryland to be with his family when they needed him most. He approached both work and family with the same dedication: he always gave his all. Jim was an Eagle Scout who loved amateur ham radio, jigsaw puzzles, home renovation, and gardening. He had a fondness for 1960s music and enjoyed watching NCIS. He is survived by his wife, Susan M. Gainey; his daughters, Kathryn J. Gainey and Kimberly A. Gainey; and his siblings, Daniel L. Gainey, Steven P. Gainey, and Jeanine M. Hoffmann. He was preceded in death by his father, Richard T. Gainey.