JoElla Gilbert

JoElla DeFreece Gilbert of King City passed away Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at her home surrounded by family.  She was born in Parnell on July 19, 1938 to the late Goldie Mae Prather and Henry DeFreece and was one of 13 children. She was born and raised in the Parnell area, attended Lafayette High School for three years and then moved to Ravenwood where she graduated from Ravenwood High School on May 10, 1956.

After high school, JoElla began working for Hartford Insurance with the St. Joseph Livestock Commission at the stockyards of St. Joseph and continued working there until 1965.  During that time she had the pleasure of meeting her husband, Dean Gilbert, a farmer in the Pleasant Hill area whom she wed on October 14, 1961.  After they married, JoElla joined her husband on the farm and continued to make their business endeavors and farm successful.  She did whatever it took to keep the family farm and business running while raising three children. She cooked daily meals for any number of people her husband brought in from the farm, kept books and carried the mail while they owned a mail truck business. Once her children were older, she began working outside of the home for SSM In Home Health and continued working there for over 15 years. Whether it was helping her husband, raising her children or taking care of the elderly, JoElla was always a caretaker at heart.  She always made sure everyone was okay, well fed and she made sure the candy jar was full.

JoElla’s main passion was for her children and grandchildren. Her greatest joy was watching them play sports and grow up. You could always count on her to be at every game and fortunately when she was stuck at home, she could enjoy them through the live streaming.

Anyone who knew JoElla knew her love and passion for sports. Not only did she like watching sports, she grew up playing them, along with her siblings. She played softball as a first baseman for the Schlitz softball team and the St. Joe Beacons during the 60s and was even able to go to state.  In the late 80s she put together two family slow pitch teams, the Silver Bullets for the older ones, and the Sluggers for the younger ones, where she coached and showed her love for the game. In the late 90s she played in many Good Life Games, recruiting all of her friends and family who were over 50. Softball was her favorite, but she also played basketball for the YMCA. JoElla earned numerous awards and medals for playing sports throughout her life and wanted that for any young athlete. She loved to talk about or watch any kind of sporting event or be a part of it somehow whether it was on TV, with her family or within her community. If it was a competitive sport, JoElla enjoyed it.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions will be used to help the King City sports activities and/or the Pleasant Hill Church new building fund. Donations can be made in care of Turner Family Funeral Home.

Online condolences: turnerfamilyfuneral.com

Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 pm with Rosary starting at 7:30 pm, Sunday, August 4, 2024, at Turner Family Funeral Home in Maysville.

Funeral services will be at 10 am, Monday, August 5, 2024, at Turner Family Funeral Home in Maysville, with burial immediately following at Butler Cemetery.

A special thank you to Dr. Jackie Miller, Home Instead, Good Shepherd Hospice and her very special long term caregivers Jeannie, Amanda, and Karlie. You all were such a blessing to her.