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Gail Wayne Hancock was born on September 12, 1944 in Emporia, Kansas to Homer and Ruth (Thomas) Hancock. He passed away at St Francis Hospital in Topeka on August 19, 2020 at the age of 75.
He was a birthright member of the Society of Friends faith group. He grew up in rural Lyon county, the middle child with two brothers and two sisters. When his grandfather Clyde was the Sexton of the Hillside Cemetery, he helped dig some of the graves. He could tell you the places NOT to dig where the ground was almost solid rock.
He graduated from Toledo Township High School in 1962 and was the sitting president of their alumni association when they disbanded last year. He was a lifetime member of the Chase County Historical Society and had contributed historical items for their museum.
He continued a lifetime of learning by attending Friends Bible College, or as Lisa liked to call it, Friendly Barclay College. On August 29, 1962, Gail and sister Naomi were in a vehicle accident five miles north of Haviland, KS. He went through the windshield breaking his nose, upper jaw, losing his front teeth, and was unconscious for two days. [Anita's story?]
After returning to FBC, he reunited with friends from CQH with Pauleen Lutes' brothers, which was the beginning of their relationship. He continued his studies at K-State and at Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia. He married Mary Pauleen Lutes at Pleasant Plain Friends Church in Byers on June 2, 1967. Their first home was in a trailer house within walking distance of Emporia State so Pauleen could finish her last year in college.
After farming, Gail next worked constructing Campers in Emporia. He was working at Brooks Plumbing and Heating when, as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War , he was called to do his alternate service work at Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton in January of 1968 so they were separated till Pauleen finished the spring semester.
After Pauleen obtained her degree in Music Education, she got a teaching position in Valley Center. They moved their trailer house to Valley Center where they lived for two years. When his alternate service work was completed they moved back to Emporia. [Loren and Vera's quad. Apt on Peyton?; Then, the Stone place]. In 1975, First United Methodist Church in Emporia needed space for a new parking lot. At auction, they sold a house on the lot to the Hancocks for $10... with the stipulation that the buyer move it. On January 28th, the front page of the Gazette showed the house being driven down U.S. highway 50 on its way to Route 5, Box 41B.
Gail graduated from World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa on June 21st, 1979. He obtained an Indiana University Auctioneers Institute Certification, was a former board member of the Kansas Auctioneers Association, and was a licensed Realtor®.
Gail worked at IBP for a while then started in retail gift stores ranging from The Trading Post at 215 Commercial, The Pottery Shed, first at 1021 Commercial, and later 724 Commercial, and finally, Gifts Plus.
When at a Friends Women's retreat Pauleen met a Successful Living distributor, together they started a Christian Book Ministry that they called Precious Treasures and Gail would soon close the gift store to go on the road selling Christian books and music.
He distributed books to grocery stores, forts, gas stations, church and homeschool conventions, county fairs, and the Kansas State Fair for around 18 years. Gail and Pauleen were blessed beyond measure through this ministry, meeting many Christian authors and recording artists.
Gail was a faithful supporter of Pauleen when she went back to teaching K-12 music for 21 years in Hamilton. He had many loves including history, reading, and his love for the Lord. He and Pauleen partnered with fellow antique lovers to buy the building at 327 S Commercial for use as a collectibles store named Ellie Lou's and Bookends Books. He was an enumerator for the 2010 Census because they paid him to explore the countryside and meet people. He also volunteered at many charity auctions like the Annual Barclay College sale and Northridge Friends Church youth auction used to raise money for their spring break missions trips.
He always dreamed of having an auction house. When Bluestem Hall came up for sale, Gail just happened to be at the real Estate office when one of the other agents was writing up the listing and he said, "I'll take it". Within one month, the purchase was final, thus was the beginning of Flint Hills Auction service at Bluestem Hall. He loved helping people even though there were times when it was not financially profitable. He just had a hard time saying no to someone who needed help. He thoroughly loved auctioning and would practice his chant regularly and listen to other great auctioneers always striving to get better. He enjoyed caring for Bluebell, the Manx cat mascot of Flint Hills Auction.
He was also a regional sports fan for the K-State Wildcats, KC Chiefs and Royals, and ESU Basketball teams.
In the spring of 2019 he began having health problems. The end of June, an appointment with the Doctor put him in the hospital with the beginning of blood transfusions. Several months later a diagnosis proved his bone marrow did not produce red blood cells. Several treatments were tried but none with success. For the rest of his days his was blood being tested twice a week and many weeks a transfusion. It troubled him that he could not physically work, only advise. He was blessed to have young auctioneers come to help and he actually enjoyed mentoring them. His area of knowledge was extensive from antiques on the farm to the finest of pottery, glassware and especially books. His collections over the years included bricks, jars, bottles, wrenches, cast iron seats, books, sports memorabilia, coins, crocks, pottery and probably others we missed. He was always learning. When working on an estate, Pauleen might find him being very quiet because he had his nose in a book, learning about something. His memory was astounding and many times told you more about something than one could comprehend.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Great niece Bethany Noller, and daughter in law Lisa (Sumner) Hancock.
He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 53 years, Pauleen, of the home, son Vincent of Wichita, sisters Margaret of Derby, Naomi of Emporia, brothers Ervin of Hugoton, and Paul of Plymouth, many cherished nieces and nephews and their children, and many other family and friends.
Private graveside services will be held August 25th in Hillside Cemetery, at Toledo. A celebration of life service will be held on his birth anniversary, 9/12 at 2pm, in Bluestem Hall, 646 Rd 180, Emporia, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to Barclay College courtesy of Baker Funeral Home, 100 S. Cedar, Valley Center, Kansas 67147. Online condolences may be left on their website at BakerFHVC.com.
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![[Gail's Photo]](gwh44.jpg)