Della W. Gorrell

On Friday, August 4, 2023, Della Winona Gorrell, passed away after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer, with family present at St. Joseph's Senior Living Center of Louisville, Ohio. She was 85 years of age. It would be wrong to say that Della lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance truly look like.

Della was born May 14, 1938, in Elizabeth, WV to Mitchell and Helen (Johnston) Nutter. She was the fifth of six children living in a two-bedroom cabin.  When she was only five years old, her father Mitchell passed away from pneumonia due to measles, leaving her mother Helen to care for herself and six children on the 90 plus acre Appalachian farm.  Della enjoyed telling her friends and family that she felt so rich earning a nickel a day as a first-grade student, for being the first one to arrive at the one room schoolhouse and start up the wood burner stove. Della loved to draw and was offered a scholarship to attend art school.  However, her family could not afford to lose her help on the farm, so instead, Della finished high school and attended nursing school at Camden Clark Hospital in Parkersburg, WV, where she graduated with the class of 1959.  It was at Camden Clark Hospital where Della advanced from student to Registered Nurse and she met her husband Robert Gorrell (Bob), marrying him on May 20, 1961. Della and Bob had three daughters, Debra (Michael) Wehrle, Rebecca J. Gorrell, and Elizabeth (Wesley) Dearth.

Della is survived by her husband Bob and daughters Debra and Elizabeth, as well as her four granddaughters, Ashley (Eddie) Whitt, Amanda Dixon, Andrea Dixon, Samantha Wehrle and four grandsons, Corey (Megan) Dearth, Justin Dearth, and Jordan Dearth.  In addition, Della is survived by four great-grandchildren Nora, Brady, Payton, and Delaney Whitt. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Phyllis Nutter. Della is preceded in death by her daughter Rebecca, 3 sisters (Julia Belle Brown, Edna Mae McCoy, Garnett Adams) and 2 brothers (Franklin Nutter and Mitchell Nutter).

Della genuinely enjoyed spending time with her family and friends most, but she also enjoyed reading and watching baseball. Della was a very compassionate woman and a devoted friend to anyone who needed her.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be Tuesday at 11:00 am in St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Minerva, Ohio with Fr. Victor Cinson as celebrant.  Burial will be in Liberty Cemetery, Minerva, Ohio.  Calling hours will be Monday 6-8 pm in the Gotschall-Hutchison Funeral Home in Minerva with a wake service at 7:45 pm. Those wishing to send condolences may sign the online register at www.gotschallfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Joseph Senior Living Center of Louisville, Ohio.