Gloria Junk Stasyszen died peacefully in her home on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, strengthened by prayer and by the presence of her husband Bill, members of her family, and her hospice care providers.

Deeply rooted in her Catholic faith, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, employee and volunteer.

Born in Shawnee on June 17, 1925, she lived most of her life northwest of Tecumseh. She attended New Hope School and graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1942.

She married Bill E. Stasyszen on October 15, 1949, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Shawnee.

She was a faithful member of the parish throughout her life. After becoming homebound she maintained contact by reading the parish bulletin, visiting with parishioners in her home and prayerfully reading the scriptures used at daily Mass. She was a long-time member of the Catholic Daughters of America.

Mrs. Stasyszen completed a 29-year career at Tinker Air Force Base as an Items Management Specialist at the Air Logistic Center. During the course of her tenure of service she received numerous awards and citations for outstanding performance and excellence, including a Sustained Superior Performance Award before her retirement in 1985.

A successful life-long homemaker, she was well-known for the wide variety of hand-crafted items she made, such as quilts, afghans, clothing items and dolls. She donated many of these items for charitable fund-raising events benefiting St . Benedict Parish, the Lincoln County Relay for Life to support the American Cancer Society, the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art and St . Gregory's University. She also enjoyed a positive spirit of competition at the Pottawatomie County Fair, at which she consistently garnered top honors for her handcrafts, home canning and baked goods.

A long-time volunteer leader for 4-H clubs, she served for many years as the organizational leader for the Tecumseh 4-H Club, was active with 4-H youth throughout Pottawatomie County and attended the Southeast Regional Leaders Conference at Rock Eagle, Georgia, on numerous occasions. An active member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion Post 260 in Tecumseh, she was especially dedicated to the needs of disabled veterans, for whom she designed and made hundreds of quilted lap blankets which she donated to veterans' hospitals over the course of several years.

In retirement she enjoyed extensive travel with her husband and many friends, visiting all fifty states and Canada.

Gloria is survived by her loving husband Bill; her sons and daughters-in-law, Bill II and Jonna Stasyszen of Shelbyville, Kentucky; Joe and Marla Stasyszen of Chandler, Oklahoma; Rick and Monica Stasyszen of The Woodlands, Texas; Fr. Lawrence Stasyszen, O.S.B., of St . Gregory's Abbey in Shawnee, Oklahoma; and Jeannita Stasyszen of Meeker, Oklahoma; her grandchildren Jandi and husband Karlen; Bill III, Jason and wife Andrea;Philip, Sarah and husband Nate; Dusty, Mark, Jeff, Alex and Emily; and her great-grandchildren Noah, Aaron, Allison, Alex and Alicia; sisters Frances Marr of Tecumseh; and Bernice Foree of Bethany; and many nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her parents, Peter and Mattie Junk of Tecumseh; several siblings and her eldest son, Peter M. Stasyszen.

The family is grateful for the dedicated service provided by Loving Care Home Health and Hospice.

A Vigil of Prayer for Gloria Stasyszen will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 16, at Cooper Funeral Home in Tecumseh.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 17, at St . Benedict Catholic Church in Shawnee, with burial following at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be directed to the Bill and Gloria Stasyszen Scholarship Fund at: St . Gregory's University in Shawnee.