Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Time moves fast and yet it seems to stand still. It doesn't seem possible that John has not been with us for 5 months. Our thanks to everyone who has left messages for John and our family. Your kind words have been a great comfort to our kids.

Kelly Gunsell

Kelly Gunsell

February 16, 2005

John:

I'm sorry this reflection is way over due, but there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about you and remember some the times our families shared as neighbors in Michaywe. Your funeral memorial card with picture sits on top of my jewelry box and when I get ready for the day I think about you. In addition, I have one of your funeral stickers on my police locker to remind me to stay safe and to always wear my seatbelt and vest.

I just got aquainted with this web site today because my SGT (Mike Scarbrough) was killed in the line of duty from an auto accident on 02-09-2005. Mike's accident was like yours, he was the passenger, but wearing his seat belt. However, when the car hit black ice it went out of control on I-94. There was no seatbelt made that would of saved him when the vehicle's passenger side slid into a lone utility pole in the median. The driver was a fellow SGT, Mike's dear friend, and has mutiple injuries and in time will heal. The funeral is this Monday 02-14-05. John, just give me the strength to get through a second friend's/police officers funeral within six months. Mike was 39yoa, married with a 13yoa daughter and twin 10 yoa sons.

To Kelly and the Kids, our thoughts and prayers are always with you and hope things are getting better. We look forward to seeing you guys this summer for some more camp fires in the driveway. God Bless the Gunsell's.....Sincerely, Bob, Janice, Robert, & Bryan

OFC Robert C. Fortney
Wayne County Airport Authority

February 12, 2005

John,
Happy Valentine's Day. I wish I was spending it with you, but if all that I believe heaven to be is true, then heaven is where you belong. Perfect, loved and in peace.

The Scientist

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart

Tell me your secrets
And ask me your questions
Oh let's go back to the start

Running in circles
Common tales
Heads on a science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

Tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start

Running in circles
Chasing tales
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard

I'm going back to the start

Coldplay

All my love,
Mary

February 12, 2005

You were a great friend that always made me smile. Your support this past June will always be remembered. Thank you for many years of laughter! God Bless You.

Gretchen McBride

February 6, 2005

God,
Continue to reveal yourself to Deputy Gunsell's children. May you fill them with your love and continued presence. When they hurt with sadness fill their hearts with hope and love. You say, "Cast your cares upon Me." You are there for them, help them turn to you when they can bear it no more.
Thank you Deputy Gunsell and family for your unselfish gift and sacrifice.

Trooper
Michigan State Police

January 27, 2005

I miss you John. My thoughts are always wandering to the times we shared. Every time the phone rings my heart skips a beat, and for just a second I wonder if it will be you. Saturdays seem to be the hardest day because I can't help but wish I was spending them in your arms, laughing with you and feeling so cared for and safe. Maybe someday I will find a way to stop the tears and release my sadness. I don't think I will ever get over losing you.

All my love,
Mary

January 20, 2005

stil checking in here just letting you know we still miss you and care watch over us and we will see you in the afterlife Gods be with you and watch over us here you are in our prayers

January 20, 2005

It,s a new year wish you were here to welcome it in. But God had other plans for you. He must of thought everyone up in heaven needs your humor for some good laughs just wished he would of left you here for the rest of us to enjoy yous company. Miss seeing you on the road

woofy

January 1, 2005

Happy New Year Babe!
I will be missing you wishing I was kissing you at midnight!

Hugs & Blessings!
Mary

December 31, 2004

Bubba~
Today I had a few minutes to read the paper and the local news did some reflecting on 2004 highlights, as I turned the pages I come across a huge picture of you in uniform, standing in the rain with your rain coat held open above a little girl.
Tears began to flow.. I wish you were still here with us. We all miss your holiday cheer.
A toast to you, big guy... Happy New Year! I'll have a beer for you on 12-31.

Double E

Double E
Otsego County Sheriff Office

December 29, 2004

God's Belssings and Comfort to the family of Deputy John Gunsell. Our son Dan died the same day and in the same way as John. Both were born in Dec. John on Dec. 12th and Dan on Ckhristmas Day. From what i have read about John and know about my son i can see that both of them loved their job and wouldn't have traded it for anything. Your family will be in our prayers and all of the rst of the brave men and women who have given their lives in the line of duty. God Bless

Don Archuleta
Father of Deputy Sheriff Daniel Archuleta

December 29, 2004

Bubba~
The Christmas Season just wasn't the same without you.
You were always like a "Big Santa" to me. I remember you laughing when I would walk around the office singing "Santa Baby" and you finally had enough of the same song over and over.You told me to shut up! And proceeded to tell me that Christmas was over.The next thing I hear out of your mouth,as you were walking out the door to go on a call was the "Humming" version of "Santa Baby". You stopped in your tracks, turned around and "Thanked" me, because that song was now stuck in your head!! Then you slammed the door. :-)
We had lots of goodies at the department and still do! I had to eat most of the peanut butter items this year because you weren't here, of course nobody had to twist my arm. I remember us fighting over the peanut butter cookies and candy every year.

Merry Christmas, John.

Double E

Otsego County Sheriff Department

December 27, 2004

Christmas has come and gone and i still miss seeing you on the road wish you where still here dam a lot of people still miss you God Bless you and see you again in the ever after life

woofy

December 27, 2004

Merry Christmas DS Gunsell

December 25, 2004

john i think about you on a daily basis. i especially thought about you today and i wish that you could be spending this christmas with your children that you loved so much. i hope you are enjoying a glass of egg nog up in heaven...and knowing you it would have had some holiday cheer added to it...haha...i miss you soooo much!!! dana

dana haney

December 25, 2004

Merry Christmas John!
I can picture you laughing, joking and making the holiday happy and bright.

You are the star on my tree and the "Ho..Ho..Ho" in my holiday spirit.

Somehow I know you would want everyone to celebrate the good things in life today, not the pain. You were and are a blessing to all of the people you touched with your stories, kindness and caring ways. You were unbelievable, a damn fine man!

I hope that I can take the lessons of love and laughter that I learned from you and share them as you did, so freely and with so much love.

Hugs & Blessings!

Mary

"Lord bless us and let us be joyful!"

Mary

December 25, 2004

Saw this on another memorial page and thought it was too beautiful not to post here:

Merry Christmas From Heaven

I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on a cold wintry nights

I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I"ll even remind you
to please say your prayers

I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd

Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place

You don"t have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
If you continue the climb

To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I"m still close beside you
in a new special way

I love you all dearly
now don"t shed a tear
cause I"m spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year

Poem by John Wm. Mooney Jr.

N/A

December 18, 2004

Today I was listening to Christmas music in my car. It seems so hard to think about the holiday without you John. The tears began to flow and I found myself sitting along side the road listening to this song.

This is my grown up Christmas list

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies
Well I'm all grown up now
Can you still help somehow?
I'm not a child but my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas List
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars will never start
And time will heal our hearts
Every man will have a friend
That right will always win
And love will never end
This is my grown up Christmas List

May kindness rule our lives
Not just the strong survive
Sweet tears for all the thousand years on mind
This is for the world I pray
We will all share in some way
Help me begin by reaching out a hand

No more lives torn apart
That wars will never start
And time will heal our hearts
Every man will have a friend
That right will always win
And love will never end
This is my grown up Christmas List

Why does this illusion call the innocence of you?
Maybe when the time has come
believers can find the truth

No more lives torn apart
That wars will never start
And time will heal our hearts
Every man will have a friend
That right will always win
And love will never end
This is my grown up Christmas List
This is the prayer that I will keep
This is my grown up Christmas list

I pray that the season will be safe, healthy and happy for all of my fellow officers who spend their special holiday time protecting and serving. As for me, I will keep wishing for my grown up Christmas List.

God Bless you all!

Reserve Officer Mary Doran
Kalkaska Police Department

December 9, 2004

John all I could think about yesterday was one year ago when we celabrated your birthday and how we had made plans to do the same this year. I really wish you were here but I do know you are always with us on all those special days. As long as we think about you and we keep you in our hearts you are never really gone. Love and miss you your buddy Sheree

Sheree

December 3, 2004

Happy Birthday John!
You once told me you wanted to live a long, long time. I wish you were here to celebrate many more birthdays.
I hope you are blowing out the candles in heaven and watching over all of us.
I miss you so much.
Love,
Mary

Mary

December 2, 2004

on Dec 12, 1960 a good child was born then on sept 12, 2004 we lost him a great Deputy Sheriff and a good friend wish you were still here to say happy birthday to but you are gone so here i say to you Happy birthday John. You are still in my prayers God be to you

woolfy

December 1, 2004

John as I sit here on Thanksgiving I remember last year when you stopped by and you met my family and I really miss you. I hope you are watching down on all you loved while you were here and know you are very missed. Happy Thanksgiving your buddy Sheree

Sheree Whittredge

November 25, 2004

See The Sun
Dido

I'm comin' 'round to open the blinds
You can't hide here any longer
My God you need to rinse those puffy eyes
You can't last here any longer

And yes they'll ask you where you've been
And you'll have to tell them again and again

And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day
Well I promise you you'll see the sun again
And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness
And I promise you you'll see the sun again

Come on take my hand
We're going for a walk, I know you can
You can wear anything as long as it's not black
Please don't mourn forever
He's not coming back

And yes they'll ask you where you've been
And you'll have to tell them again and again

And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day
Well I promise you you'll see the sun again
And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness
And I promise you you'll see the sun again
And I promise you you'll see the sun again

Do you remember telling me you found the sweetest thing of all
You said one day of this was worth dying for
So be thankful you knew him at all
But he's no more

And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day
Well I promise you you'll see the sun again
And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness
And I promise you you'll see the sun again
I promise you you'll see the sun again

John,
I am waiting to see the sun again.
All my love,
Mary

Mary Doran

November 16, 2004

John it's just over two months now and still miss your jokes still miss your freindship a person can never know a freind like you for now we lost you you are missed by a lot of people herei for one miss seeing you on the road you are forever in my prayers God's be and watch over your brother officers and me to thanks for the freindship

woolfy

November 16, 2004

i was driving to work the other day and the song by "train" that was played at john's funeral came on and i started to get really bummed out...just as every time i drive through gaylord...there isnt a day that goes by that i dont think of john and miss him dearly...i will one day see you soon...i miss you sooooo much!!!!! dana

dana haney

November 15, 2004