Gayla Jane Yanney

Yanney, Gayla Jane (Hanson)

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Gayla (Gay) Jane Yanney, 92, a beloved member of our family, church and education community, who left us while surrounded by family, and entered the gates of heaven and the presence of Jesus her Savior on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at her daughter’s home in Battle Ground, Washington. Apart from a few years of her life, she was a life-long resident of Sioux City, Iowa.

Always preferring to be referred to as “GG” (Groovy Grandma), GG will be remembered for her fierce love of Jesus, unwavering kindness, perpetual generosity, and infectious spirit that brought joy to all who knew her. She truly was a monument of a woman. She led an extraordinary life of teaching service both in the Sioux City public schools and in church - and positively impacted countless lives. Though GG is no longer with us, her memory will continue to inspire and uplift everyone who was fortunate enough to know her. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

GG was born on July 6, 1933, to Einer and Alice Hanson on a farm near Dana, Iowa. In 1936, the family moved to Sioux City where she attended Everett Elementary, Crescent Park Elementary, North Junior, and Central High School graduating in 1951. She was employed during her high school years at Doran Drug, Katz Drug, and the TS Martin Company. She was later employed at the offices of Palmer Candy Company in Sioux City and the Thermoflector Block Corporation in North Sioux City. She was proudly employed as a stenographer for special agents by the FBI in Washington DC in 1951 and 1952. After returning to Sioux City, she attended Briar Cliff and Wayne State Teachers College and eventually received a four-year teaching degree from Morningside College.

She married LeRoy “Lee” J. Yanney in June 1956 and together they enjoyed a happy and faithful marriage for 61 years before Lee’s death on January 17, 2017. GG and Lee had four children and 11 grandchildren: their oldest son Jon Yanney (Wendy) who has three children (Rayce, Ryan, and Reid) and presently lives in Grand Prairie, TX where he is a Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, TX; their middle son Pastor Bill Yanney (Pastor Trish) who has four children (Emily Reynders, Austin, Megan, and Lucas) and lives in Sioux City where he is the Senior Pastor of the non-denominational Worship City Church (prior to opening their church in Sioux City, they lived six years in Barcelona Spain and three years in Arequipa Peru where they founded two bible colleges); their daughter Candy Humphrey (Todd) who has four children (Arielle Lusk, Ian, Hayden, and Logan) and lives in Battle Ground, Washington where Candy works in the senior living industry in southwest Washington and is currently doing senior living placements; and their youngest son Dr. Robert Yanney (Cari) and lives in Dallas, TX where they have a chiropractic clinic.

Some of GG’s favorite joys included teaching her children and grandchildren how to bake and cook Lebanese food, how to build bird houses, and throwing all-day 4th of July F.R.O.G. Days celebrations– and she especially enjoyed reading stories to the youngsters. There was no such thing as a small get-together – every get together was a planned event.

GG had a long and joyful 32 ½ year teaching career in the Sioux City Public Schools. She taught at Hopkins Elementary, Crescent Park Elementary, Bancroft Elementary, Webster Elementary, and Smith Elementary. She was both a special education and remedial reading specialist, and she especially loved being a first grade teacher for the last 10 years of her career. She positively impacted 100’s of students and provided the extra patience, love, kindness, and teaching skills that earned her accolades from her students and parents – many remembering her and praising her even after they had finished high school. Some of GG’s special teaching techniques included decorating her classrooms in jungle motifs for full immersion experiences, taking her students out to local restaurants for fine dining experiences, fishing and rowboat outings at Okoboji Lake to learn outdoor skills, and airplane flights to Omaha and back to expand their horizons. She inspired students to learn, to reach, and to have confidence in themselves that they could do more than what was expected from them.

GG retired from Sioux City Public Schools just before turning 70 so she could assist her husband with his roofing and siding sales work at Guarantee Roofing Company. Later, she volunteered as a teaching assistant in the Sioux City Schools and she also spent many years of her adult life teaching Sunday school, a role she cherished deeply. GG believed that a strong marriage, raising a family, teaching children, and tending to her container gardens on the deck patio were among the greatest blessings God has to offer—along with, of course, Sunday mornings spent in church.

GG helped her son and daughter-in-law pioneer Worship City Church, assisting in painting and decorating the first Kids Ministry spaces, as well as faithfully teaching children every Sunday and Wednesday. She was especially gifted at ministering to children with behavioral challenges, helping them to see how much Jesus loves them. She loved serving in our kid’s outreaches such as the VBS Summer Blast program, and Hallelujah Night.

Some of GG’s favorite sayings were: “The saddest thing about getting old is realizing that you are missing out on so much in the lives of your grandchildren.” She also said, “The most comforting thing about getting old is I look forward to going to heaven to join other members of my family and to praise our God everyday - Amen!” But GG will always be best remembered for the way she would peer into the eyes of all her students, family, or friends gathered around and say before each story, lesson, or tidbit of wisdom – “If you’re looking at me, I know you’re listening”.

GG was preceded in death by her husband LeRoy J. Yanney, her parents Einer and Alice Hanson, her sister Karen Marshall, and her brother David Hanson.

Per her wishes, she will be cremated and the family will hold a private celebration of her life in Sioux City, Iowa. 

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials in memory of Gayla to Worship City Church, 1315 Indian Hills Dr, Sioux City, IA 51104, memo “GG memorial VBS” (to help fund the free annual kids event she loved), or online by clicking the link: https://pushpay.com/g/worshipcitychurch (designate: VBS for “Giving Type”).