Obituary of Carol Sue Gilleland

Carol Sue “Means” Gilleland, 78, of Villisca, IA, passed away on February 12th, 2023, at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, Red Oak, Iowa.

Carol Sue Means was born in Red Oak, IA to Donald Means and Elvera “Stoneking” Means on January 17th, 1945. Carol was the first of the family’s four children. She grew up near Tenville and attended country and grade school locally, was active in 4H, loved to play basketball and graduated from Villisca High School in 1963. Carol married Eugene Gilleland, and to this union was born, Troy and Donna.

Carol worked at the bank in Villisca for 36 years, retiring from Bank Iowa in 2010. She then worked part-time for several years at Stoner Drug. She was a member of Villisca Housing Board.

She enjoyed walking, picking sweet corn from the farm and freezing it, reading, Elvis, gardening, mowing her yard, and most importantly her granddaughters and great-granddaughters and watching all their activities.

Carol is survived by her children Troy Gilleland and Donna Gilleland-Gay; granddaughters, Dana and Greg Grizzard, Haley and Tom Gourley Brooke Gay and Devon Hale, Renae Gilleland and Jeff McCuen; great-granddaughters, Natalie Grizzard, Austyn and Emersyn Gourley, Jaylin Gay and Taylor Hale, sister Norma and husband Phil Garland, all of Villisca.  Other survivors include, daughter-in-law Jenny Gilleland, son-in-law Brian Gay, step-great-grandchildren Cannon Hale and Aurora McCuen, sister-in-law Stacy Means, and many other family and friends.

She is preceded in death by granddaughter Kaitlyn Cecilia Gay, her parents, siblings Linda and Stanley.