Rev. Dr. William C. (Bill) Gannaway Ii

Rev. Dr. William C. (Bill) Gannaway II, a Topeka resident died on June 23, 2024.

Bill was born June 10, 1932 in Anniston, Alabama, the son of the Rev. William Curtis Sr. and Bessie Othello Ferguson Gannaway. He spent his childhood and teen years in Trenton, Michigan. He graduated from Slocum-Truax High School (Trenton) in 1950. He began his college studies at Vanderbilt University and graduated from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was then commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army Infantry and served seven years in the Army Reserve Corps. Bill graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity degree in 1957 and a Masters of Theology degree in 1959. Bill received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Vanderbilt University in 1982.

Bill served at his first church in Greensburg, KY, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church where he was ordained as minister of the Word and Sacrament. He also served at Wyoming Presbyterian Church (Youth Ministry), Cincinnati, OH, the Lebanon Presbyterian Church, Lebanon, KY, Faith Presbyterian Church, Louisville, KY, Westwood Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, OH and spent his last 27 years in ministry at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Topeka, KS. His areas of greatest interest during his ministry were in worship and preaching, spiritual development and support of church members, and leadership in church planning for mission. Local, national and world mission was a particular focus in Bill’s ministry.

On January 28, 1956 Bill married Alyce Jane Powell in Louisville, KY. Alyce was always supportive of Bill in his ministry. Education was her chosen field of work and she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Washburn University, Topeka.

Bill was a long time member and past president of the Downtown Topeka Optimist Club and especially enjoyed participating in the Christmas tree sales and being a mentor to students at Lowman Hill Elementary School Bill was also a Civil Rights Activist, marching in the 1960’s in Kentucky and the Women’s March in 2017 in Topeka. Bill helped care for the Impoverished Reformed (Presbyterian) community in Cuba and the struggling seminary there and many other local and national charities and mission causes.

Bill enjoyed camping, sailing, spending time at the lake and traveling with Alyce and their children. Bill loved following Alabama sports and was a voracious reader.

Bill is survived by his children, Jane (Martin Singley), Deborah ( Mike Brock), Barbara (Tom Osterhaus), and Bill III (Tina) ; grandchildren, Coleman (Erica) Green, Britton Green, Curtis (Garrett Swafford), Connor (Ashley) Gannaway, Natalie (Colton) Meyer, and Olivia Brock; and his great-grandchildren, Ava, Bradley, William, Jack, Alyce, Kirrian, and Grace.

He was preceded in death by his wife Alyce, and his parents.

A visitation will be held on Friday, June 28, 2024 from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Penwell Gabel Funeral Home, 1321 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, Kansas 66604. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, June 29, 2024 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1275 SW Boswell, Topeka, Kansas 66604. He will be laid to rest at Mount Hope Cemetery at 1:00pm on Saturday, June 28, 2024. To leave a message online for his family, please click the "Share Memories".

Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. William C. Gannaway II Memorial Fund: https://www.westminstertopeka.com/give, to the William C. Gannaway ll’s Scholarship Endowment made either online at www.lpts.edu/donate or by check to Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1044 Alta Vista Road, Louisville, KY 40205, Attn: Advancement Office or to the charity of the donor’s choice.