Gwyn Etta Sankey - Updated

Gwyn Etta (Heflin) Sankey was born on June 19, 1978 at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and passed away at age 41 on March 27, 2020 in Mankato, Minnesota.

She was the mother of 5 children. She raised them with strength, facing many battles while doing so. Including serving as a proud Army wife for 10 years. She worked as a certified nursing assistant in many nursing homes through the years bringing joy to many who were living out their final years.  She helped so many people and touched so many lives during her time with us.  She enjoyed collecting all things strawberry related and was an avid coin collector.  Her favorite TV shows were MASH, Roseanne, and The Golden Girls. She spent many mornings with a cup of black coffee and watching the Price is Right. She loved spending time with her children and fishing, swimming, watching movies, and baking. She had been ill for several years and it was that illness that took her away from us.

She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Heflin; half-brothers, William Heflin and Thomas Heflin; paternal grandfather, Delmar Heflin; paternal step-grandfather, John Steinbruegge; paternal grandmother, Mable Steinbruegge; maternal grandfather, Samuel Harrison; maternal grandmother, Emma Harrison; and great-aunt, Ovean Laswell.

Gwyn is survived by her former husband, Jeremy Sankey; and their 5 children, Morgan Wiedeman, Heather Sankey, Tanner Sankey, Madison Sankey, and Andrew Sankey;  grandchildren, Leeana Wiedeman, Josiah Ashley, Maxwell Miller, and Kinsley Stepp, her mother, Hazel Heflin; siblings, Linda Dodson, Carol Bergal, Nancy Medina, Della Smith, Sam Heflin, John Heflin, Ruth Saladino, Esther Holmes, Sharon Nohren, Patricia Dougan, Vicky King, David Heflin, Bonnie Counts, Wendy Hawkins, and Robert Heflin II; and many extended family members and friends.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 10am until 12pm, Saturday, July 11, 2020 at Spring Lake Park. A private service will follow. Gwyn will be laid to rest at at Liberty Cemetery in Belle, Missouri. Please share a memory of Gwyn with her family online at www.mankatomortuary.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a GoFundMe account for her children set up by her sister (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-gwyn-sankeys-kids-in-lieu-of-flowers)