Emily Joyce Willecke

Emily Joyce Gannaway was born December 31, 1937, in Richmond, CA to Thomas Garland Gannaway and Bennie Louise (Casey) Gannaway. Emily followed her older brother Tom. They were later joined by younger siblings, Janet and Ken.

Emily graduated from Medford High School, Medford, Oregon in 1955. She was offered a college music scholarship with a focus on drums. She attended Seattle Pacific University, in Seattle, Washington, until 1958 then transferred and graduated from Willamette University, in Salem, Oregon, in 1960.

Emily met Waldo Willecke in Salem Oregon in 1959. They had their first date following their church choir performance (a Christmas cantata) and were engaged one month later. They got married June 10, 1960, at First Baptist Church in Salem, Oregon. Emily had musical talent and was quick to use it whenever requested, for church services, weddings, memorials, or concerts.

They moved to various Naval duty stations in the US based on Waldo’s orders. Locations included Whidbey Island, WA, Memphis, TN, – where Mark and Karen were born in 1962 and 1964 respectively. Continued military travels took the family back to Whidbey, as well as San Diego and San Jose California.

Emily primarily was a homemaker while Mark and Karen were of younger school age. She was always involved with local church choirs where the family attended. As Mark and Karen got older and more independent, Emily completed her teaching certification and taught music at Oak Harbor Elementary School. She had Mark and Karen in her classes.

The family moved to Colorado in 1982 when Emily accepted the Christian Education Director’s position at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church. The church was just getting started and met at the High School (CCHS). She managed a large team of volunteers each week to provide Sunday School for a thriving church plant. In 1990, Emily and Waldo moved to Minnesota when she accepted a Director of Christian Education position at Grace Church in Roseville, MN.

In 1997, Waldo and Emily moved back to the Denver area, when Emily accepted the Director of Christian Education position for Grace Chapel in Englewood, CO. After eight years in that position, Emily shifted to part-time as a leadership consultant. In addition to her consulting responsibilities, she still made time to lead or participate in mission trips to places like Brazil, Guatemala and Malawi.

Emily passed away December 17, 2024, and was preceded in death by her parents Thomas Garland Gannaway and Bennie Louise (Casey) Gannaway, and her brother Tom Gannaway. She was survived shortly by her husband Waldo until his passing on Jan 4, 2025. She is survived by her sister Janet Gibas (John), brother Ken Gannaway (Geri), and her children Mark Willecke (Pam), and Karen Huschka (John), her grandchildren Jeff Willecke (Cheri), Chris Willecke (Kate), and TJ Willecke (Zelana), and her great grandchildren Daniel, Issac, Amelia, Avery and Florence.