Gunsolley and Graybill Residence Halls

Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa
 
Gunsolley Residence Hall
 Gunsolley Residence Hall opened in the fall of 1951 to 86 residents. "Garver Hall" was originally recommended to the Board of Trustees as the buildings name; the board deferred this action. Then on May 13, 1951 the board chose Gunsolley Hall in recognition of original faculty member Jeremiah A. Gunsolley.

Gunsolley Hall's early houses included:

The basic residence unit on Gunsolley Hall's first floor was named Garver Hall in September of 1956. The hall was named in honor of John Garver who was an apostle, a member of the First Presidency, a president of the Board of Trustees and a Lamoni RLDS Stake president.

Forscutt House, named after Graceland's first dean Mark Forscutt, was the basic residence unit name given to Gunsolley Hall's second floor on the north side in September of 1956.

Gunsolley's houses by floor are [2015]:

First Floor: Units, Second Floor: Powell, Third Floor: Closson and Fourth Floor: Orion.

SOURCE: Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 106, 115. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.
Professor Jeremiah Alden Gunsolley
Professor Jeremiah Alden Gunsolley came to Graceland, the second member of the faculty hired by the Board of Directors on July 10, 1895. He was named principal of the Commercial Department and was assigned to teach penmanship, bookkeeping and arithmetic. Of the three-person faculty who taught the first classes when Graceland opened on September 17, 1895, Jeremiah was the only one who continued with the college for a long time. He was also the only member of the trio who belonged to the RLDS Church, having been baptized on October 7, 1884, and holding the office of priest at the time of Graceland's opening.

During Graceland's early years, Jeremiah shoveled snow drifts in the winter and notified students and when the weather was too bad to hold classes. In the summer, he donned overalls and a wide-brimmed straw hat to mow the campus grounds with a scythe. He retained his leadership of the Commercial Department after being elected to the college's Board of Trustees, serving in that capacity for 10 years.

"Uncle Jerry" also served as Graceland's librarian, acting dean, college treasurer, business manager and religious education teacher. He filled the role of the college's acting president from 1909 to 1913, following David Anderson and succeeded by Samuel Burgess. Upon retirement in 1926, Jeremiah received the college's first "emeritus" title, being named "Treasurer Emeritus." He then accepted church appointment and was superannuated in 1934. However, Jeremiah remained involved with Graceland; from the first diploma issued to Frederick Madison Smith, the sole member of the first graduating class in 1898, through the certificates presented to the class of 1935, it was Jeremiah who inscribed the student's names on Graceland's diplomas.
Roommates Dan Kelley ‘58 and Dick Resch ‘58 cemented a bond of friendship at Graceland that is commemorated in the new mural in Gunsolley’s lounge. The dedication ceremony was on August 1 and Dick Resch, along with Dan’s daughters, Dana Kelley ’82 Neville and Lori Kelley ’85 Day offered remarks. President Sellars, Sherri and Jac Kirkpatrick, Deb Skinner, Kelly Everett, and a host of Gracelanders participated in the service of dedication as well. Resch wanted some way to commemorate his good friend and to benefit Graceland. The lounge is beautifully refurbished with new furniture and carpet, along with the memorial mural in time for the fall arrival of students.

Horizons, Graceland University, Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa, September 23, 2015
 
Graybill Residence Hall
 
Graybill Residence Hall opened in 1965 as a 99-unit addition to Gunsolley [Men's] Residence Hall and was originally referred to as "The Annex". In 1989 it was formally christened Graybill Hall in honor of Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Dr. Bruce Graybill who taught at Graceland from 1961 to 1994.

Located within Graybill Residence Hall are the following houses, by floor: Lower Level: Tiona, First Floor: Faunce, Second Floor: Cheville, Third Floor: Agape and Fourth Floor: Stewart Manor. 
Dr. Bruce M. Graybil 
The dignified, quiet strength of Bruce Graybill has been a steadying influence for the Graceland community for nearly 50 years. He graduated from Graceland in 1952; earned his B.S. degree from Iowa State University in 1955; and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Florida State University in 1959.

After a stint researching solid rocket propellants, he became Graceland's Professor of Chemistry in 1961 and taught for 33 years. He worked with Bob Ramsey to develop Graceland's baccalaureate degree in chemistry; served as acting dean of faculty during the 1974-75 school year and reassumed that position for another year beginning in the spring of 1977. He offered students supportive guidance but required their best as they battled rigorous chemical equations. Bruce earned their deep respect.

When alumni talk of greatest influences at Gracland, his name is frequently mentioned. He received the Excellence in Teaching award in 1980, and was named "Distinguished Professor" on May 25, 1975, one of only two in Graceland's history. Faculty peers respect him as dedicated professor, chair of the Science and Mathematics division for 22 years, assistant director of Graceland's Upward Bound Program and coordinator of the Trio Program from 1978 to 1981. He retired as Distinguished Professor Emeritus in 1994.

Dr. Graybill's universal respect resulted in "Gunsolley Annex" being renamed Graybill Hall in his honor. Demanding yet supporting, formal yet personable, Bruce Graybill modeled the behavior of a "gentleman scholar."  
 
ranscriptions by Sharon R. Becker, November 2015; updated January 2016; updated February 2017
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These pages have been updated and reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall, October 2019
 
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