Eunella M. Pannell

Eunella Pannell age 88 of Alva, Wyoming, died Tuesday December 15th, 2009 at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center. Graveside services will be held 11am Thursday December 17th, 2009 at the Alva Cemetery in Alva, Wyoming. There will be no visitation. Following the graveside service a lunch and time of fellowship will be held in the First Baptist Church in Hulett. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Arrangements are with Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Eunella Mary Easterly was born April 8, 1922 in Dayton, Ohio. She was the daughter of Jerome and Glyda (McKinley) Easterly. Eunella grew up and attended school in Massillon and became a registered nurse in 1942. After enlisting in the U.S. Army on October 15, 1943, she was sent to Europe as a general duty nurse and was stationed in England where she served for 18 months, returning home when the war ended. In June of 1946, she came to Wyoming with a Baptist organization to help establish a Bible school in the Hulett area. During this visit to Wyoming, she met Bill Pannell. After she returned to Ohio, the couple decided to be married. They were married September 28, 1946, in Kentucky. The honeymoon lasted for the duration of the jeep ride back to Bill’s ranch in Wyoming where they established their home. Eunella was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church in Alva WY, where she served for many years. She enjoyed her home where she loved to read and work on her quilts. But her greatest joy was her family who will miss her immensely. Eunella is survived by her husband of 62 years, Bill Pannell of Alva WY; six children; Fred (Karen) Pannell of Cheyenne WY, Mary (Everett) Heiner of Alva WY, Sally (Alan) Kraemer of Apple Valley CA, Peggy (Jeff) Meineke Rapid City SD, Jim (Kelly) Pannell of Alva WY, and Bill Pannell of Cheyenne WY; 13 grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. She is also survived by one sister, Ida Jane Walker of Denver CO