Georgia A. Gugler

Georgia A. Gugler, 75, of Shawnee, Kansas, passed away on Sunday, June 29, 2025. She was born on July 15, 1949 in Savanna, Illinois. She was the daughter of Oswald and Jeanne (Helm) Spillane.

Georgia grew up in several states throughout the midwest but attended and graduated from Lincoln Senior High School in Sioux Falls, SD in 1967. She moved to Wichita with her parents and attended Wichita State University. While in Wichita, she worked as a dental and surgical assistant. She was introduced to Lyle by her friend and colleague Cherry, whose spouse, Norvin Dirks, worked with Lyle at a CPA firm. They dated for a year before marrying December 26th 1971 at Lyona Methodist Church in rural Junction City, KS. They made their home in Wichita where they raised their two children, Christopher and Kimberly. She was very active in the PTA, and band boosters for both Wichita North High and Wichita East High as well as the grade schools previously attended by Chris and Kim.

In the fall of 1995 they moved to Shawnee, KS. Georgia worked in the accounting department with Lyle at O’Connor Company in Lenexa, KS until retirement in 2003. Over the years in Shawnee, she enjoyed playing bridge several days a week with friends at the community center and various restaurants around town. Georgia loved to spend time with family and would spend hours preparing fantastic meals and desserts. Everyone always requested Georgia to do the baking for holidays, her banana cake was a favorite. Georgia enjoyed attending shows at the New Dinner Theater where her and Lyle often had season tickets. She enjoyed travelling and had the opportunity to visit many countries in Europe and the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.

She was always good about sending cards to family and friends to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or just to say she was thinking of them. Over the past 12 years, she loved to attend as many of her grandsons’ music and sporting events as possible. Family times were spent playing games, cards and sharing a lot of laughs. Her family often accused her of trying to cheat at cards or conveniently forgetting the rules of the game to suit her needs.

Georgia is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Lyle Gugler; son, Chris Gugler and his wife Kamie (Olathe, KS); daughter Kim Gugler and her husband Ryan Bechtel (Olathe, KS); two grandsons Carter and Trent; and her brother Patrick Spillane and his wife, Sue (Bedford, NH).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Oswald and Jeanne Spillane (East Peoria, IL) and her sister, Gloria Genovese (Morton, IL).

A celebration of life will be held August 10th from 1pm - 3:30pm at the Eagle’s Landing at Lake Olathe. 475 S Ward Cliff Dr. Olathe, KS 66061. Food will be provided.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Georgia’s memory be made to Hospice House 15310 S. Marion St. Olathe, KS 66061.

To leave a special message for her family or to share a memory of Georgia, please visit the guestbook below.