Emalene (Gooch) Correll

Memorial services for Emalene (Gooch) Correll, 85, will be conducted by Fr. William Wolff at 1:00 p.m., Friday, August, 5, 2016 at St. David’s Episcopal Church 3916 SW 17th Street, Topeka, KS 66604. Private inurnment will follow at a later date at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery in Topeka. Emalene passed away Saturday, July 30, 2016 at Pioneer Ridge Health Care in Lawrence.

Emalene was born January 19, 1931 in Topeka, KS the daughter of John Clarence and Hazel Arissa (Peters) Gooch. She grew up in Topeka and was graduated from Topeka High School in 1948. She was graduated from The University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1952 and a Masters degree in 1963.

Emalene received her teaching certificate from Washburn University in 1954. She taught at Carbondale High School in 1953-1954 and then from 1954 to 1961 she was a teacher in the Topeka Public Schools including East Topeka Junior High and Topeka High School.

In 1961, Emalene began working for the Kansas Water Resources Board as a Research Assistant while also serving on the State Board of the League of Women Voters. In 1966 she went to work for the Kansas Legislative Research Department where she remained until her retirement in 2008. Emalene was the first woman to serve the Research Department as a professional staff member and one of the first members of the Department to staff, on a full time basis, standing committees of the Legislature.

Emalene was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Alumni Association, Phi Beta Kappa, The University of Kansas Alumni Association, The Topeka High Historical Society, League of Women Voters, and the Episcopal Church.

Emalene married Ralph Follett Correll, Jr. on August 21, 1953 in Topeka, KS. He preceded her in death on March 7, 1996. She was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Jim Brothers on August 20, 2013. She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen, and many friends who mourn her passing.

Memorials may be made in her name to the Cat Association of Topeka or to KU Endowment, or to the charity of the donor’s choice and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13 ^th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.