Emalene (Gooch) Correll
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Memorial services for Emalene (Gooch) Correll, 85, will be conducted by Fr. William Wolff at 1:00 p.m., Friday, August, 5, 2016 at St. David’s Episcopal Church 3916 SW 17th Street, Topeka, KS 66604. Private inurnment will follow at a later date at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery in Topeka. Emalene passed away Saturday, July 30, 2016 at Pioneer Ridge Health Care in Lawrence.
Emalene was born January 19, 1931 in Topeka, KS the daughter of John Clarence and Hazel Arissa (Peters) Gooch. She grew up in Topeka and was graduated from Topeka High School in 1948. She was graduated from The University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1952 and a Masters degree in 1963.
Emalene received her teaching certificate from Washburn University in 1954. She taught at Carbondale High School in 1953-1954 and then from 1954 to 1961 she was a teacher in the Topeka Public Schools including East Topeka Junior High and Topeka High School.
In 1961, Emalene began working for the Kansas Water Resources Board as a Research Assistant while also serving on the State Board of the League of Women Voters. In 1966 she went to work for the Kansas Legislative Research Department where she remained until her retirement in 2008. Emalene was the first woman to serve the Research Department as a professional staff member and one of the first members of the Department to staff, on a full time basis, standing committees of the Legislature.
Emalene was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Alumni Association, Phi Beta Kappa, The University of Kansas Alumni Association, The Topeka High Historical Society, League of Women Voters, and the Episcopal Church.
Emalene married Ralph Follett Correll, Jr. on August 21, 1953 in Topeka, KS. He preceded her in death on March 7, 1996. She was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Jim Brothers on August 20, 2013. She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen, and many friends who mourn her passing.
Memorials may be made in her name to the Cat Association of Topeka or to KU Endowment, or to the charity of the donor’s choice and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
In sincere sympathy to Emalene’s family. I knew her when I worked in the Legislative Research Department. Emalene was an inspiration to me in completing my bachelor’s and masters’ degrees to become a research analyst. It was a privilege to have worked with her and known her professionally for several years. Sandra Powell
I am so sorry for your loss. I had the honor of working with her at the Kansas Legislative Research Department and learned a great deal from her and very much enjoyed her humor. She will be missed.
Dear Kathleen,
You don’t know me but I remember when you were born. Emalene and I were active together in the League of Women Voters way back in the 1950s and 60s. How proud Ralph was to show you off when we had League meetings at your house. I moved back to Boston in 1970. Once when I was working for the Mass. Dept. of Public Health, a question came up about nursing home licensure in various states. I said,”Emalene will know the answer.” I called the Leg. Research Council and asked for Emalene who, indeed, did answer the question. When I moved back to Kansas in 2005, I asked for her at the Council desk. Emalene called out, “Is that Diana?” She recognized my voice after all those years.
I was sorry we were not able to spend more time together after she retired. She was smart and outspoken and we need more like her. May her memory be a blessing to you. Diana Siegal
Emalene was senior staff for the Public Health committee that I chaired for 8 years. She had a wealth of knowledge regarding health issues and was a valued mentor and colleague. And she was a good friend. I am sorry to miss her service today as I am out of state. Dr. Bill Wolff was another valued member of member health policy team as was Norm Furse. All three were fine examples of dedicated state workers who helped shape good policy for our state. Thank you Emalene for your years of dedicated service.
So saddened to hear of Em’s passing, and sending my condolences to Kathy for her loss. When Kathy and I were teens/young adults, Kathy’s Mom was the only one of my friends’ moms who didn’t think I was a bad influence on her kid and I really appreciated that!
I admired Em’s independent nature and I hope I absorbed, at least in some small measure, some of the other wonderful qualities about her that set her apart from other folks of our parents’ generation. I will miss her and I am truly grateful that I knew her. – SQ
Kathleen, I am so sorry for your loss.
I worked with Emalene in the Kansas Legislative Research Department. I always enjoyed talking with her and picking her brain for ideas, background, and historic perspective. I am smiling as I write that I am glad I always or almost always agreed with her–she could hold her own and then some, and always had the courage of her convictions. She was quite a woman. She blazed a lot of trails for many women.
Perhaps because we share a name, she would often tell me about you and what you were doing. She loved you so much and was so proud of you!
Kathy (Kathleen) Porter