William Eugene Gahagan, 82, lifetime farmer of rural Walnut, entered eternal rest on January 21, 2012. He had been in failing health.

Known to his family and friends as “Bill,” he was born Feb. 20, 1929 to Edmund Eugene and Mary Felicy Jacquinot Gahagan on the family farm in Walnut, Kansas. He farmed there until he retired to live in town. He attended Raymond School and Mound Valley until the 7th grade, at which time he began farming the family farm due to his father’s failing health. He raised many cattle and hogs along with his yearly crops. He was a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Church in Walnut and later after its closing attended St. Ambrose in Erie.

Bill loved his family and took good care of them. He stayed involved in their lives and spent many hours attending not only his brothers and sisters’ athletic events, but those of his nieces and nephews as well as countless neighborhood youngsters who played games in the surrounding area. Bill was an athlete in his day and loved to play softball, bowl and play pool, and also coached little league for several years. In the middle of the afternoon, you could often find Bill at the card table –another one of his favorite pastimes, and many a person learned to play “five card cutthroat pitch” from Bill.

He loved a good meal and always appreciated all the “treats” dropped off by his Walnut family. Good times included family get-togethers as well as visits and meals with his “extended” family. Bill loved little children and the little ones in Walnut certainly knew who he was and shared their love with him.

Survivors include two brothers, John “Jack” Gahagan and wife, Rita, Benton, Leonard Gahagan and wife Melba, Chanute; a sister Frances “Fran” Will and husband, Jim, Oklahoma City; two nieces, Ruth Kindall and husband, Jim, Parsons, Jan Pippig and husband, Mike, El Dorado; five nephews, Ed Spielbusch and wife, Kim, rural Parsons, Steve Gahagan, Benton, Bob Gahagan and wife, Karen, Kansas City, Brian Gahagan and wife, Amanda, Chanute, Tom Gahagan, Jacksonville, Florida; five great-nieces and eight great-nephews, along with many dearly-loved cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mary Jo Spielbusch and brother-in-law Gene, and his niece Cherie Gahagan.

Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. today, Jan. 24, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Walnut. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Walnut. The rosary was recited 7 p.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Church in Walnut and the family received friends before and immediately following.

Memorials are suggested to Walnut Community Services, to maintain St. Patrick’s Church in Walnut, and may be dropped off at or mailed to Carson Wall Funeral Services, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. The obituary may be read and condolences left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.