Gladys Elane Richardson

RICHARDSON, CROW, MARTIN, MICHELS, BANDIXEN, SHELTON, HAVERKAMP, FREESE, COPENHAVER, PERRY

Posted By: diane (email)
Date: 4/6/2017 at 15:53:24

Gladys Elane Richardson was born August 19, 1932 on a farm near Masonville, Iowa the daughter of William and Edna Crow Martin. She attended school at Aurora and Arlington before High School in Maynard where she graduated with the High School Class of 1950. She then attended school at Upper Iowa in Fayette where she earned her two year teaching degree. Over the years she continued schooling until earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Upper Iowa in 1970.

Gladys was united in marriage to Judson Richardson on December 24, 1952 at the Aurora Baptist Church. To this union were born four children: George, Debra, Wanda and Rita. They lived and farmed south of Aurora moving to their present farm in 1959. Gladys taught school at Fayette for one year before her marriage and after her family was raised started working at East Buchanan Schools in 1966 and retiring in 1995. She subbed for a few years and then baby sat her grandchildren. She lived on the farm until July, 2015 when she moved to Lexington Estate in Independence.

Gladys was an active member of The Aurora and Lamont Baptist Churches, was Sunday School Superintendent and Treasurer, was a Baptist Youth Group Leader. In years past she was President of Eastern Iowa Reading Council, the East Buchanan Band Boosters President, Secretary-Treasurer of Richardson-Jakway Foundation, the Aurora Library Board, and a 4-H leader of the Byron Green Leaves. She mowed a lot of cemeteries, dressed a lot of chickens, Washed, packed and sold a lot of eggs, and made a lot of applesauce, strawberry jam, pies and quilts.

Gladys entered into her eternal rest on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at Lexington Estate in Independence at the age of 83.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jud in 2004, her stillborn brother Eldon Martin; and two sisters: Joyce Michels and June Bandixen.

Survivors include her son George of Aurora; her three daughters: Debra (Mike) Shelton of Duncombe, IA; Wanda (Dan) Haverkamp of Independence; and Rita (Eric) Freese of Edwardsville, IL; thirteen grandchildren: Amy (Steve) Copenhaver; Sara (Jay) Perry; Peter Haverkamp; Michell , Jacob and Charles Shelton; Olivia, Heba, Jordan, Nejua, Hamada, Hanu, and Nura Freese; five great grandchildren: Nate, Drew, and Ben Copenhaver; Grace and Jack Perry; and her sister Darlene (Mike) Shelton of Underwood, Iowa.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 P.M. Friday, April 29, 2016 at the Aurora Methodist Church with Pastor Scott Hall officiating. Music provided by Mary Shubich organist and vocalists Jacob Shelton and Amy Copenhaver. Casket bearers: Steve Copenhaver, Jay Perry, Peter Haverkamp, Mitchell Shelton, Jacob Shelton, Charles Shelton, Jordan Freese, Hamada Freese, and Hanu Freese.

Interment will be in Madison Cemetery south of Aurora. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fawcett Funeral Home and Cremation services of Winthrop is assisting the family with arrangements. Visitation will be from 4 PM until 8 PM Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Fawcett Funeral Home in Winthrop and on Friday at the Methodiat Church in Aurora after 12:30 PM until services at 1:30.