Beech Tree News Network

Ola Willis Gabbard, 90, of Morgantown, Ky. passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 at Morgantown Care and Rehab.  She was born in Butler Co., Ky. on May 6, 1930 to the late Earl and Alice Johnson Willis.  Ola was a member of Mount Lebanon Church of Christ. Ola was a great wife, mother and grandmother. She worked at 4th District School and enjoyed working on the farm and enjoyed seeing the baby farm animals. She loved talking on the phone to her many friends and would talk for hours. Ola also enjoyed gardening, growing flowers and she loved country and old time rock-n-roll music. She loved to sing and listen to music and dance. She loved family gatherings and would always have large holiday dinners for her family. She enjoyed her last few years at Morgantown Care and Rehab. where she was a favorite of all the staff and attended singings and many social gatherings in the lobby of MCR with her daughter Karen and friend Sally Miller. She was known to be a live wire by everyone that knew her. She was most certainly one of a kind and is going to be badly missed.

Ola is preceded in death by her parents, four brothers - Herman, Basil, L.N. and Billy Willis; two sisters - Hazel Willis Embry and Mazie Willis Deweese; husband Cletus Gabbard; son Mack Gabbard; grandson Adam Gabbard.          

She is survived by her children Tom Gabbard (Barbara) of Roundhill, Ky., Karen Gabbard Phelps (David) of Morgantown; three grandsons Andrew Gabbard (Misty) of Morgantown, Jake Gabbard (Casey) of Morgantown, William Gabbard (Brooke) of Roundhill, Ky.; seven great grandchildren; special cousins Kenny and Larry Johnson and Wilma Friel; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home with Bro. Terry Johnson officiating.  Burial will follow in the Gabbard Threlkel Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Friday, Oct. 2 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. until time of service at Smith Funeral Home.

Visit our website www.smithfuneralhomeky.com to share any condolences, memories or photos of  Ola or light a memorial candle.