Joellen Sue Gunsauley

Joellen Sue (Stokes) Gunsauley, formerly of Morrill, Kansas, finished her earthly course on Monday, August 26, 2024, surrounded by her family, at the mighty age of 83. 

Joellen was born on May 23, 1941, to Joseph Stokes and Emma (Toland) Stokes in Springfield, Ohio. After high school, Joellen married Frank Gunsauley on November 19, 1960, in Cedarville, Ohio. They moved to Chicago where Frank had already begun his career in iron working. They were blessed with two daughters, Susan in 1962 and Lorie in 1963. 

After a short move to Indiana, Joellen and Frank moved their family to Morrill, Kansas in 1970. It was here that they built a home and put down their roots. Joellen and Frank proved to be loving, kind, and generous in their community by supporting local businesses and families. Frank and Joellen shared a wonderful life together and exemplified the true meaning of love and marriage, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2010. 

Joellen carried many titles through her life. The most important titles being “Wife, Mother, and Mom,” but she was also lovingly known as “Grandma, Nanna, and Wiley Coyote,” (mostly because her eldest grandchild saw how it never seemed to matter what happened to her, she always popped right back up). 

Joellen was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Frank, on March 12, 2014.

Joellen is survived by her two daughters, Susan Brotz and Lorie (Michael) Sneed; her grandchildren, Ryann (Samantha) Sickel, Melissa (We know she’s, her favorite!) (Travis) Waltz, Cassandra Bowman and her partner, Cameron Wisdom, John (Nikki) Bowman, Jr., and Tyler Brotz and his partner, Claire Brinson; an impressive collection of great-grandchildren, Tori Sickel, Rylan Bowman, Hunter Feickert, Grayson Westbrook, Logan Bowman, John (Tripp) Bowman III, Milo Brotz, Charlie Dow, Weston Bowman, Zaydin Wisdom, Abby Waltz, and Kaylee Waltz; and her two sisters, Gail (Bill) Coulter and Nancy (Carl) Miller.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the NorthRidge Church, 316 Lincoln Street, Sabetha, Kansas. Prior to the service, a visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. until service time at the church. The interment will be made in the Morrill Cemetery, 2928 Dewberry Road, Morrill, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, Joellen requested that memorial contributions in her memory be made to Water for Life, which is an organization that she believed in and volunteered her time and talents. Memorial contributions can be sent to Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha, Kansas 66534.