John ‘Gunny’ Franklin Sayers

John “Gunny” Franklin Sayers, 69, of Red Lake died Saturday, March 29, 2008 in Red Lake.

Funeral Services will be 2:00 pm, Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at the St. Mary’s Mission Catholic Church in Red Lake with Rev. Patrick Sullivan officiating. A wake will begin on Monday, March 31, 2008 at the Red Lake Center at noon. Interment will be at the St. Mary’s Mission Catholic Church Cemetery in Red Lake under the direction of the Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji.

John was born January 8, 1939 in Red Lake, MN, the son of Paul and Agnes (Lussier) Sayers.

He attended school at St. Mary’s Mission and Red Lake High School. He worked construction in Maryland. He returned home was a carpenter for Red Lake Builders for a number of years. He worked security for the Red Lake Casino and then as a custodian for the Palace Casino in Cass Lake. He loved hunting and ice and pole fishing and spending time with his nieces, nephews, grandsons and family.

A special thank you to Sean and Tracy Saice and Carol Staples for the care they gave John.

He is survived by 2 sons- Harold (Shari) Brun of Red Lake
Keenan (Laurie) Sayers of Red Lake
A daughter- Toni Pemberton of Cass Lake
11 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren
2 sisters- Margaret Sayers of Red Lake
Edna Staples of Cass Lake
Numerous nieces and nephews

He was preceded in death by parents, 6 sisters- Mildred Beaulieu, Edith Walker, Angie Haga, Alberta Sayers, Joanne Moore and Paulette Trouten, 3 brothers- Allen, Bill and Leon Sayers, 2 grandchildren and 2 nephews- Bill and Happy Sayers.

Honorary Casketbearers will be his nephews and nieces.

Active Casketbearers are Gerald May, Jerome Strong, Floyd “Buck” Jourdain, Eugene Sayers, Henry Donnell and Rusty Donnell with alternates Paul Beaulieu, Gordon Thompson, Sr. and Sean Saice.