Lois Keenan Tully-Gerber Daniels
August 10, 1936 ~ June 1, 2023
Lois Keenan Tully-Gerber Daniels, 86, peacefully departed at home on June 1, 2023, after a long and happy life.
She was born on August 10, 1936, at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kansas the sixth of nine children born to Martha Sheils and Thomas Keenan. Lois was a second-generation Irish American raised in a farming community near Seward, Kansas. Christened Lois Eleanor after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, she was a lifelong learner earning an Associate Bachelor of Arts in Education (St. Mary of the Plains College); Bachelor of Science in Management (Friends University); and a Master of Arts in Business Management - Public Administration (WSU).
In 1954, Lois married Korean War veteran Gerald Tully of Spearville, Kansas and settled in Wichita with their children Kelley, Jay and Jeff. Widowed in 1962, she married Larry Gerber in 1966 and later had son Paul.
After raising her children and completing her education, Lois moved to Topeka and began a career as technology manager at Kansas Electric Utilities Research Program. Retiring to Wichita in 2000, she married World War II veteran James Daniels in 2005 and had many years of happiness until his passing in 2021.
Lois is preceded in death by children Kelley Tully Collier and infant Cornelius Gerber as well as siblings Helen Friesen, Kenneth Keenan, Dolores Bryant, Carol Thompson, Maurice Keenan, John Keenan and infant Martha Keenan. She is survived by sister Mary Lynn Tesar of Bellevue, NE; sons Jay (Beth) Tully of Wichita; Jeff Tully of Overland Park; Paul (Katrina) Gerber of Overland Park; grandchildren Jacob (Hayley Huffstutler) Tully; James (Molly) Tully; Andrew, Ryan and Chris Collier; and Zachary and Abby Gerber. A long life gifted her great-grandchildren Adi, Marina, Connor and Fiona Tully.
A memorial has been established at Center of Hope, a homeless prevention program (P.O. Box 3237, Wichita, KS 67201).
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (124 N. Roosevelt, Wichita, KS 67208) on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 10 a.m. A Celebration of Life will follow the service.
Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
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I knew Lois in Wichita and also when I was at the KCC in Topeka. I always appreciated her knowledge and professionalism. My sympathy to her family.
Thanks, Ramona. We appreciate your kind words.
I will always remember my aunt Lois as a classy, intelligent, very strong woman. I take comfort in the fact that she is now re-united with Gerald and Kelley. She raised good children and her legacy will live on through them. I will never forget the day she called me to let me know that Kelley was no longer with us. She suffered some horrible losses in her life and overcame them all. Respect to you aunt Lois, I won’t forget you or your resilience.
Thanks, Stan. Jay and I appreciate your kind words.