Dr. Dana Kayle Gillig, 49, of Sedalia, Missouri passed away at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, Missouri. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at the funeral home. Interment following in Valley Memorial Gardens, Grain Valley. In Lieu of flowers Memorials can be made to: Pettis County 4-H Foundation or International Harvester Missouri Chapter 1.

Dana was born August 23, 1973 in Kansas City to Jean (Koelling) Gillig and Ron Gillig. Dana graduated from Grain Valley High School in 1991. Early on she had a love for animals and spent many hours riding along on calls with Odessa veterinarian, Dr. Jim Peddicord, during high school.  Dana attended Northeast Missouri State University (Truman State) for three years and then went to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree.

Dr. Gillig was the first female veterinarian to win Missouri Veterinary Medical Association’s coveted Veterinarian of the Year Award in 2014.  Dr. Gillig was an active member of MVMA, serving in various positions throughout her career, including MVMA President in 2011.  In addition, Dr. Gillig was a past president of the West Central VMA District, member of AVMA, AABP, Society of Theriogenolgy, and the Academy of Rural Veterinarians. Dr. Gillig also served as the Missouri State Fair Vet for a number of years.

Dana owned and practiced veterinary medicine at Sedalia Veterinary Center, a rural mixed-animal practice in Sedalia.  Dr. Dana’s passion and love for being a large animal vet, especially working with the bovine, was her special calling.  Friends and clients remember her as being one of the toughest vets around.  What may have started with clients saying – I don’t want a woman veterinarian, quickly became “I want no one but Dana.” Later in her career, she began teaching agriculture classes at State Fair Community College in Sedalia. Dana was an active member of the First United Methodist Church serving as chairman of the Pastor Parish Committee and a member of the Praise Team – playing djembe, timpani and accessory percussion.

Dana fought a long battle with necrotizing pancreatitis. Family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ sent up millions of prayers on her behalf – praying for a miracle. The miracle was the extra years of life that the prayers granted. She never gave up on her faith and loved God above all else.  Dana was a spiritual inspiration who helped to bring those in need to a closer relationship with God.

She is survived by her parents, Ron and Jean, Odessa, MO.; brother Jarrod and his wife Jami Gillig and their children, Dakota and Kinsley, Blue Rapids, KS. Aunt Donna (as she was called by Dakota and Kinsley – there’s a story with that) was their biggest cheerleader and the light of her life.

Dana was proceeded in death by her grandparents Roy and Geneva Koelling and Armin and Ann Gillig.

For many years Dana was a Veterinary Science project leader for the Pettis County and Jackson County 4-H.  Dana also loved helping her friend Greg restore his antique IH tractors.

A SPECIAL “THANK YOU” TO EVERYONE WHO SENT CARDS, GIFTS, PRAYERS AND AMAZING SUPPORT TO DANA DURING HER MANY YEARS OF STRUGGLE.  WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL.   

LOVE, RON, JEAN, JARROD, JAMI, DAKOTA AND KINSLEY.                                                  

Obituary submitted by the family.

Arrangements:  Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, MO   816-847-4441