Loree Willey

An open house and celebration of life for Loree Willey, 74, will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at a family member’s home, 652 S. Mission, in Wichita.Ms. Willey died Sept. 23, 2006, in Kansas City, Mo.She was born June 16, 1932, in Madrid, Iowa, the daughter of the Rev. Vern R. and the Rev. Adora Pearl Willey. She graduated in 1950 from Truro High School, where she was crowned Iowa’s free throw champion.Ms. Willey worked as a buyer in Andover for Pratt and Lambert Paint Co., which later became Sherwin-Williams, until she retired in May 1997.She was preceded in death by her daughter, Veronica Nelson. After her death, Ms. Willey helped raise her granddaughter, Anna Nelson.Survivors include two sons, Tracy Resseguie, Lawrence, and Kevin Knickerbocker; a daughter, Niki Oxford; and six grandchildren, Jamie, Kirk, Kyle and Kara Resseguie, Sara Gonsalez and Anna Nelson.The family suggests memorials to the grandchildren’s education fund at Town and Country Bank, sent in care of Bill Ellwood, 4707 W. 135th St., Leawood 66224.E-mail condolences may be sent to earesseg@gmail.com.