Obituary for Rosetta Gulley

Rosetta Gulley

(April 18, 1934 – February 4, 2017)

Rose Gulley, former Ponca City resident, departed this earth to be with her Heavenly Father, on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at Autumn Leaves Memory Care Facility in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was 82. The funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, February 10, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church with the Reverend Mike Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

Rosetta L. Ronish (Rose) was born on April 18, 1934 in Denton, Montana to George and Netta (Halverson) Ronish. She grew up in Kent, Washington with her parents and siblings. Rose was the youngest daughter of nine children. Rose received her education in the Kent Washington Public School District. During her youth, she enjoyed participating in basketball, tennis, and was a baton twirler. She was active in the Rainbow Girls (International Order of the Rainbow Girls). Rose enjoyed cooking, canning, and baking with her mother. She enjoyed sewing her own clothing as a teenager, babysitting, and helping the elderly. She was a wonderful Aunt to her nieces and nephews and loved them dearly.

Rose met her husband, Kenneth R. Gulley while he was serving in the U.S. Army stationed in Washington State. Rose was working as a telephone operator at the time she met Ken. Rose and Ken were married on June 20, 1953, at the home of her parents in Kent, Washington. Rose and Ken began their family in Washington State and later moved to Port Arthur, Texas. Rose and Ken had five children. The family relocated to Ponca City during the summer of 1971.

Rose was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Ponca City from 1971-2005 (35 years). She assisted with Vacation Bible School, Mother’s Day Out, United Methodist Women, family night dinners, taking meals to home-bound Senior Citizens, and youth activities. She was active in her Sunday School class and enjoyed helping others.

Rose was strong in her faith and loved the Lord. She was a very determined and strong woman. She enjoyed helping others and doing for the less-fortunate. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She adored being a grandmother and enjoyed playing games with her grandchildren. She especially enjoyed outings and gatherings with her family.

Rose was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Along with her husband, she was an active member of the Masonic Lodge. Rose was a member of the Red Hat Society, volunteered as a Pink Lady at the local hospital, and volunteered to teach ceramics to clients at the local community mental health group facility. Her hobbies included reading, gardening, painting ceramics, canning, baking, cooking, and floral arranging.

Rose is survived by her brothers, Floyd and Walt Ronish, four children, Terry Gulley of DeBerry, TX, Cindy Maupin of Pacific Grove, CA, Jan McIlwee and husband Kevin of San Jacinto, CA, and Kay Norden and husband Tim of Marble Falls, TX, six grandchildren, Stephen Maupin of NV, Mary Cordray and husband Jay of AR, Rosella Salinas and husband Rey of TX, Ashley Bundy of OK, Kenny Crank and wife Stephanie of TX, and Krystal Gulley of OK, and eleven great-grandchildren.

Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth R. Gulley, her son, Marvin Gulley II, her parents, George and Netta Ronish, her sisters, Mabel Ronish, Florence Reisenger, and Charlotte Taylor, and her brothers, Rollie, Robert “Bobby”, and Albert Ronish.

Casket bearers will be Gary Doyal, Kevin McIlwee, Tim Norden, Chris Rivers, Kenneth Crank, Stephen Maupin, Rey Salinas, and Christian Long.

Visitation with the family will be at Trout Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, from 6-8 pm.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation in Memory of Rose Gulley.

Source: Trout Funeral Home