Shauna Joy Gunnink

Shauna Joy Gunnink, Age 67, of Joliet, IL, was peacefully called home to Heaven on January 27th, 2024. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, colleague, and friend.

Shauna was born in Oakland, Nebraska, on November 14th, 1956, to Merlin and Darlene (Kollmorgen) Oerman. 

Shauna was raised on a farm, where she learned humility, thrift, and hard work.  She met the love of her life, Eric, in high school, and they were married on August 7th, 1977. They spent the rest of their lives building and nurturing their family.

Shauna earned a nursing degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which she would use for the next 40+ years as a Registered Nurse in Nebraska, Minnesota, New Mexico, Indiana, and Illinois. Not only did she use these skills in the many doctors’ offices and hospitals in which she worked, but also with friends and family as a source of medical advice and advocacy.

Nursing was Shauna’s career, but music was her calling. She played piano at church and home almost daily; she also directed and sang in the church choir for many years. She filled her house with song and instilled a love of music in her family.

In some ways, the farm girl never left her. She loved nature, animals, and the outdoors— whether spoiling her beloved housecats, feeding apples to deer in her backyard, or wandering the nearby forest preserve picking up litter.

Shauna’s Christian faith was the foundation of her life; she was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Joliet, and she drew courage and comfort from the promise of Resurrection.

Shauna is survived by her loving family: daughter, Haley (Brian) Brown of Yorkville; sons, Brady (Gillian) Gunnink of Chicago, and Benjamin (Allison) Gunnink of Shorewood; her grandchildren, Isabella, Piper, and Paige Brown, and Iris and Grayson Gunnink; her sister Becky Oerman of Minnesota; her brothers Chris (Melissa) Oerman of Nebraska and Andy (Kelli) Oerman of Tennessee; her nephews, Austin (Olivia), Jackson, and Carson Oerman of Nebraska; her grand-nephew, Beckett; and her father, Merlin Oerman of Nebraska.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Eric Gunnink (who died in 2008), and her mother, Darlene Oerman. She is with them again at last.

Family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Thursday, February 1, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road in Joliet. A celebration of Shauna's life and resurrection in Christ will continue on Friday, February 2, 2024 with a visitation from 9:30 a.m. until time of funeral service beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1910 Black Rd in Joliet. Interment will follow and Shauna will be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Joliet.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made as gifts in Shauna’s name to the Will County Humane Society or the American Heart Association.