July 18, 1985
Msgr. Edward Gunning
Msgr. Gunning was born on April 10, 1892 in Kilbane, County Clare, Ireland. He attended St. Kieran’s College in Kilkenny, Ireland and was ordained for the Diocese of Wichita on June 13, 1920 in St. Mary Cathedral, Kilkenny, Ireland. As an assistant he was assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Parsons. In 1921 he became the first resident pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Eureka with Hamilton as a mission. Sixteen years later he was assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Fredonia with St. Francis Parish, Fall River as a mission and in 1940 he was assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Walnut with St. Mary Parish, Hiatville as a mission. In 1947 he returned to St. Patrick Parish in Parsons as pastor for twenty years and then was allowed to switch positions with his assistant, Msgr. Dougherty, who became pastor. He officially retired and returned to Ireland in 1972 but returned a year later to live in Westphalia, KS until 1985 when he entered the Catholic Center for the Aging. Msgr. Gunning died on July 18, 1985 and his funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Patrick Parish in Parsons with Bishop Gerber as main celebrant and homilist. Msgr. Gunning was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Parsons.