Oma Gwendolyn Granger Obituary (1918

ma Gwendolyn Granger passed away on January 28, 2013 with family at her side in Boerne TX. Oma was born in Navarro County, Texas near Eureka on January 22, 1918 to John William and Susan Montgomery Gossett. She married Lester Harris Granger in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1937. She was preceded in death by Lester in 1961. She is survived by her 4 children: Nathan (Sandra Wolf) Granger of Harlingen, TX; Robyn (Dean) Fankhauser of Boerne, TX; Leslie (Jim) Prentice of Topeka, KS; and Yvonne (Steve) Mailman of Dolgeville, NY. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Dr. Nathan Granger (Mary) of Parkville, MO; Nanette Granger Symes (Bruce) of Iola, KS; Saber (Michele) Granger of Kansas City, MO; Tyler Granger of Chickasha, OK; Jason Fankhauser of Boerne, TX; Derek (Amy) Fankhauser of San Antonio, TX; A.J. Fankhauser of Aurora, CO; Brady (Megan) Prentice of Lawrence, KS; Bryan Prentice of St. Louis, MO; and Mitch Mailman of Peabody, MA; 11 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild. Oma was one of 8 children and the youngest daughter of a cotton share cropper in the dust bowl of the Texas panhandle. Her mother died 2 years after her birth, and she was raised by her sister. She often said she didn"t realize they were poor until she had married Lester and lived in Lyons. Her frontier upbringing and early widowhood made her appreciate the value of an education. Her children and grandchildren were encouraged to seek, and praised for attaining, more education and independence than she had. Oma was a Christian woman with a wonderful attitude toward life. She loved gardening, canning, caregiving, singing, reading, crosswords and playing cards. She laughed easily and heartily. She loved us and many others without reservation. When Lester died leaving her with 3 young girls to raise, she immediately went to school to become an LPN and was employed by Lyons Hospital for 17 years. She belonged to the PTA and the First Christian Church in Lyons. To be near family, she moved to Topeka in 1994 and to Boerne in July 2011. Oma is free of her ailing body and with her Lord. Her spirit lives on in her loving family. A memorial service will be conducted by family at the First Christian Church, 220 W. Ave. So., Lyons on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. with a fellowship luncheon to follow. Interment will be with Lester in the Lyons Municipal Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Contributions may be sent in Oma"s name to the Rice Community Healthcare Foundation, PO Box 828, Lyons, KS 67554.