Ola Mae Gosnell

OLA MAE GOSNELL, AGE 86, DIED ON OCTOBER 3 AT SHAWNEE CHRISTIAN NURSING HOME, SURROUNDED BY HER LOVING FAMILY. SHE FOUGHT A LONG BATTLE WITH ALZHEMIERS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS. OLA WAS BORN AT MORTON’S GAP, KY ON APRIL 4, 1923 TO ELMER AND FANNIE (GATLIN) HAWKINS. THEY MOVED TO HERRIN WHEN SHE WAS A SMALL CHILD. SHE ATTENDED THE HERRIN SCHOOL DISTRICT, GRADUATING IN 1941. AS YOUNG WOMEN SHE WORKED AT THE LOCAL WOOLWORTH STORE WHERE SHE MADE FRIENDS THAT LASTED A LIFETIME. SHE LOVED HER “GROWING UP” YEARS AND ALL THE PEOPLE FROM HER NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUTH, WITH WHOM SHE REMAINED CLOSE. SHE MARRIED CLOVIS COX, WHO WAS KILLED IN FRANCE IN WORLD WAR II. SHE THEN MARRIED MICHAEL PENGILLEY AND ONE CHILD, CONNIE, WAS BORN TO THIS UNION. LATER SHE MARRIED PETE GOSNELL JR., WITH WHOM SHE HAD 3 CHILDREN: BARBARA, CLIFTON, AND RONNIE BRUCE. PRECEEDING HER IN DEATH WERE HER HUSBANDS AND HER PARENTS. IN NOVEMBER OF 2001 ALZEHIEMERS STARTED TO PROGRESS. WATCHING HER DECLINE FROM THE LOVING, HEALTHY, ORGANIZED, ACTIVE WOMAN SHE WAS, TO HER FINAL FEW YEARS WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ALL INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH SHE HAD ONLY A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY GREAT AWARDS OR ACCLAIMATIONS IN THE WORLD’S EYE, SHE WAS DUE MANY IN THE EYES OF HER FAMILY. OLA MAE LOVED TO DO CRAFTS, WRITE LETTERS TO RELATIVES AND LIFELONG FRIENDS AND SHE LOVED TO VISIT WITH THESE CLOSE FRIENDS. SHE LOVED TO KEEP HER HOME CLEAN AND TIDY INSIDE AND OUT, AND ESPECIALLY SHE LOVED TO DECORATE IT. BUT MOST OF ALL, SHE LOVED TO GO SHOPPING! SHE WAS ALWAYS READY TO GO AND COULD OUTLAST MOST OF US. SHE WAS AN AWESOME COOK. AT CHRISTMAS HER CANDIES, CAKES AND OTHER SWEETS WERE LOVED BY ALL WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TASTING THEM. HER DIVINITY AND FUDGE WILL NEVER BE MATCHED. MRS. GOSNELL MAIN JOY IN LIFE WAS HER FAMILY. SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF THEM ALL AND ENJOYED SPENDING TIME WITH THEM. A FEW ADJECTIVES WHICH WOULD BEST DESCRIBE HER WOULD BE: FUNNY, CARING, LOVING, STUBBORN, HARD-HEADED, SMART, FUN, GIVING AND HARD-WORKING. SHE LEAVES BEHIND TO CHERISH THEIR WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF HER, 2 DAUGHTERS, CONNIE BARHAM , BARBARA (RALPH) BRANDON , 2 SONS, CLIFTON (CHERYAL) GOSNELL ALL OF HERRIN AND RONNIE BRUCE (PAULA) GOSNELL OF JOHNSTON CITY. 12 GRANDCHILDREN, RAYMOND BARHAM, JEFF BARHAM, RICHIE BRANDON, TRACY BRANDON REIS, MICHAEL BRANDON, CHRISTY BRANDON JORDAN, TRAVIS BRANDON, GENNY LU GOSNELL SHADOWENS, KELLY HALL McCauley, JEFF HALL, DEREK HALL AND MELISSA GOSNELL CRITES. ALSO, 25 GREAT-GRANDCHILREN, 3 GREAT-GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND ONE SISTER, HELEN LOEH. OLA MAE WAS A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF BYRAN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS. DURING THE LAST 4 YEARS SHE ATTENDED AT CHRISTIAN COVENANT FELLOWSHIP IN CARTERVILLE. SHE WAS DEARLY LOVED AT BOTH CHURCHES AND WILL BE MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HER. FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE IN VAN NATTA FUNERAL HOME ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7AT1:00 PM WITH PASTOR RALPH BRANDON OFFICIATING. VISITATION WILL BE FROM 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM ON TUESDAY EVENING IN VAN NATTA’S FUNERAL HOME.BURIAL WILL BE AT THE HERRIN CITY CEMETERY. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO UNITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL OR AGAPE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL, BOTH IN ENERGY, IL OR THE JANE MOORE MEMORIAL FUND C/O FIRST METHODIST CHURCH IN HERRIN.