Mrs. Wilma Lucille Gunnels, daughter of the late Hubert Menzies and Zella (Brake) Menzies, was born on March 24, 1937 in Roy, Missouri. She attended the Douglas County public schools and graduated from Ava, Missouri high school in 1955. After high school Lucille graduated from Southwest Missouri State College with a degree in secondary education in business and elementary physical education.

She was united in marriage to Ivan Lee Gunnels, also of Douglas County, on January 14, 1962. They were blessed with two children.

Lucille taught physical education for several years at many of the Springfield, Missouri elementary public schools. Later she taught and headed the business department at Hilcrest high school. Always active at Hilcrest, she volunteered to run many extra circular activities ranging from cheerleading to Future Business Leaders of America. For most of her life, Lucille did not go anywhere without seeing a former student which she always called by name. She retired from teaching in May of 1997.

Many happy days were spent with friends and family camping and fishing, primarily her best friend and husband Ivan, with a fishing poll in hand either on a boat, on the bank, or wading out to catch fish. She always caught the first, the largest, and usually the most fish of the day. She also loved to travel visiting all of the states in the USA (Alaska twice) and many places in Canada and Mexico.

Lucille loved the Lord and her family. She was strong of opinion but always generous of heart. She served her church and often the youth of the General Baptist for years working VBS and summer camps.

Her life will forever be remembered in the lives of her family and friends: husband Ivan Gunnels, children Ron and Deanna Gunnels, Vicki (Gunnels) Cline and Doug Cline, grandchildren Ashley (Gunnels) Lacea and Johan Lacea, Zach Gunnels, and Hannah Cline, great-grandchildren Brody, Savannah, and Jaxton Lacea, siblings Harold and Juanita Menzies and Bonita (Menzies) Plake and Paul Plake, many nieces and nephews and friends old and new.

Services for Lucille will be at 11:30 am Friday, August 2, 2019 at Greenlawn Funeral Home East with interment following at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 am Friday, August 2, 2019 prior to the service.