Shirley Ann Sawyer

Sunny was born in Springfield, MO, on Dec. 14th, 1931, to Vernon Stiles and Edith Marie (Blaylock) Stiles.

She attended schools in Springfield and Lebanon, MO. Sunny had a lovely singing voice and sang for USO tours and radio, and appeared on the Ozark Jubilee television show. She began a modeling career in Springfield, and then married Daniel D. Sawyer, a returned Army Air Force veteran, in 1949. The couple moved to Kansas City where Dan attended law school. They returned to Springfield for a time, then moved permanently back to Kansas City. Sunny loved KC and often commented on how beautiful she thought the city was.

In Kansas City she worked as a dental assistant and continued modeling for local stores including Chasnoff’s, Adler’s, and Alaskan Fur as well as the Patricia Stevens Modeling Agency. Always cheerful with a ready laugh, she was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend.

Sunny was predeceased by her husband Dan of 69 years. She is survived by her daughter Clara (Larry) VanDraska, their daughter JoAnna (Matt) Euston and granddaughters Emma and Savannah Euston, of Leawood, KS and daughter Becky (Steve) Kling and their daughter Shannon of Creve Coeur, MO.

Private services for immediate family will be held in the future at Dignity Memorial Floral Hills. A Celebration of Life will be announced when the pandemic allows. The family suggests donations in Sunny’s name to Quality Hill Playhouse at qualityhillplayhouse.com to keep alive the music she loved.