The family of Gwen Hilburn is celebrating her 80th birthday with a surprise drop-in receptionfrom 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb.
5, at New Hope Assembly of God, Seligman, Mo.
Mrs. Gunnels was born Feb. 1, 1932, in Cassville, Mo., to James and Cleo Gunnels.
She grew up in the Seligman, Mo., area and attended Seligman, Mo., schools and graduated from Seligman High School. She worked at Mom DeWitt’s Cafe in Seligman, Mo.;
Webb’s Propane in Seligman, Mo.; and then she served as city clerk and meter reader for Seligman, Mo., before going to work at Emerson Electric, from which she retired after working there for 30 years.
She is an active member of New Hope Assembly of God Church and is the secretary/treasurer of New Salem Cemetery.
She has five children: Jackie Burns and her husband, Howard Burns, of Exeter, Mo., Cheryl Tillman and her husband, Andrew Tillman, of Garfield, Sharon Barnett and her husband, Lonnie Barnett, of Garfield, James Appleton and his wife, Patsy Appleton, of Gateway, and Claude Appleton and his wife, Melissa Appleton, of Seligman, Mo.; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, two of whom she babysits.
The family requests no gifts.
Community, Pages 7 on 01/25/2012