Shirley Gayman

Shirley Faye Gayman, 67, the daughter of Isaac and Lua Mae (Gunsaullus) Gilliland was born Sept. 2, 1940, in Gassville, Ark., and passed from this life on Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. Shirley spent her younger years in Arkansas attending a small country elementary school, then attending high school in Mountain Home, where she graduated in 1958.

After high school, Shirley along with a couple of her sisters, ventured off to Kansas City to look for work. They moved into a place on the Plaza and within a short time Shirley began employment with an insurance agency. It was while living in the city that she met Duane Robert Gayman. They were married on Nov. 14, 1959, in Schell City, Mo., but still made Kansas City their home until 1968, when they moved to Schell City to stay.

They made this area their home for the rest of their lives. Shirley enjoyed living and working alongside Duane on the farm and she always reared an extremely large garden. As she gathered and canned her produce, Shirley always encouraged the children to pitch in to help, much to their dismay. She also enjoyed the horses, cows and chickens on the farm. But most important to Shirley was her God and her family. Since her three children were grown, she devoted much of her time to being a grandma, a job she thoroughly enjoyed. She spent as much time with her grandchildren as she could and always welcomed their visits.

Survivors include her three children, Michael Duane Gayman and his wife Rona, of Oronogo, Mo., Lisa Shirland Wittman and her husband Michael, of Tulsa, and Steven Robert Gayman and his wife Erica, of Walker; seven grandchildren, Austin Carter and Cole Gayman, Landon Lindsay and Logan Bowline and Austin and Tyler Gayman; one brother, James Gilliland, of Gassville, Ark.; six sisters, Mary Lou Brown, of Kansas City, Barbara Jamison and her husband Bob, of Liberty, Karen Gilliland, of Kansas City, Becky Hammack and her husband Gary, of Mountain Home, Ark., Sharon Keeter, of Gassville, Ark., and Wilma Phoenix, of Rossville, Kan.; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Duane.

Funeral services for Shirley Faye Gayman were held at 11 a.m., on Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Pentecostal Assembly of God Church, in Nevada, with brother Mark Harwell officiating. Musical selections were "Amazing Grace" and "I Can Only Imagine." Pallbearers were Terry Smith, David Maus, Jerry Stark, Mike Eador, Bob Hines and Gary Hammack. Interment was in the Green Lawn Cemetery, in Schell City.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ken and Gloria Copeland Ministries in care of the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home, in Schell City.

Arrangements by: Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home, Schell City.