William (Bill) Shurtleff

William “Bill” Solon Shurtleff, age 86, a resident of Anthology Senior Living in Olathe, KS, entered eternal life peacefully on Wednesday, May 6th, 2021.

Bill was born August 24, 1934 to Richard and Verna Shurtleff of Lebanon, New Hampshire.  He graduated from Enfield High School, Enfield, NH as Valedictorian.  Bill played basketball, baseball, football and little did he know he ran track for his future father-in-law.  He attended the University of New Hampshire and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston where he studied to become an electrical engineer.

Bill married his middle school sweetheart, Ellen Gilbert, on March 23, 1957, in their beloved hometown of Enfield.  After a brief honeymoon in Niagara Falls, Bill whisked his new wife to Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA, where he served in the Signal Corps of the US Army.  His first child, Lori, was born on base, and three months later the tiny family headed north and moved to Rochester, NH.  It was in New Hampshire that Bill began a dedicated 40 year career working with General Electric in the Meter Department.  His son, Bill, was born in 1960, followed by another son, Brian, who arrived seven years later.

Bill and Ellen moved across the country to Overland Park, KS, where he continued to work for GE. He was an active volunteer at Valley View United Methodist Church where he taught high school Sunday school.  Additionally he enjoyed playing softball for his GE team and was a Junior Achievement advisor.

In 2006, Bill and Ellen moved to Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community where he was active in bridge groups, weekly movie nights and serving on the welcoming committee.  Bill also loved hunting with his sons and grandsons where family time was more important than “the hunt.”  He always whistled while he worked and played and brought smiles to many.

His multiple grandchildren and great grandchildren remember the joy and integrity he embodied along with the humor he could bring to almost any situation.  He was the first to call on birthdays where he would sing at the top of his lungs. He taught them lessons about saving their money, being joyful in affliction, striving to be faithful to God’s calling, and never giving up hope. Grandpa and Grammie were an exceptional example in living out a Christ filled marriage, and they were simply the best!

Bill is survived by his daughter Lori Day (Thomas) of Frankston, TX and his sons William (Susie) of Olathe, KS, and Brian (Lisa) of DeSoto, KS.  He was a devoted grandfather to ten grandchildren of whom he was extremely proud –

Bill McCunniff (Kate), Waco, TX, Sara Joyce (Robert), Northville, MI, Mark McCunniff (Jenny), Waco, TX, Matthew Day (Molly), Bentonville, AR, Daniel Day (Noelle), Austin, MN, Taylor Shurtleff (Tahnee), Wichita, KS, Eliza Shurtleff, Overland Park, KS, Olivia (Sam) Shurtleff, Pittsburg, KS, Hunter Shurtleff, DeSoto, KS, Griffen Shurtleff, Burleson, TX

Great Grandpa Shurtleff had a Bakers Dozen (13) of great grandchildren:

Wesley, Bailey and Molly Kate McCunniff, Caroline and Mark Joyce, Thomas, Maddie Grace, and Wade McCunniff, Isabelle, Eva and James Day, Willa and Ridge Shurtleff

Bill was preceded in death by his beloved wife Ellen of 63 years, his parents, and son-in-law Thomas McCunniff of Lubbock, TX.

Private family services will be held at the Church of the Resurrection – 8412 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212 on Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.

The funeral service can also be viewed live, streaming at cor.org/overlandpark/memorialsonline

In lieu of flowers, donations of love for Bill may be made to Church of the Resurrection “Youth Ministries” 8412 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66212.