Gladys Stravers, 81, passed away Oct. 26, 2023. Memorial service was at 11 a.m., Oct. 31 at Sully Christian Refor-med Church. Private family commital was in Sully Cemetery. Memorials have been designated for Wesley Life Hospice of Pella and American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, 411 2nd Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
Gladys Viola Stravers was born Oct. 12, 1942, to Arie and Johanna (Wielard) Lanser in Kellogg.
Gladys attended Sully Christian School and graduated from Pella Christian High School and Marshalltown Community College.
Feb. 23, 1962, she was united in marriage to Russell Stravers at Sully Christian Reformed Church. To this union they were blessed with five children: Jeffrey, Brenda, Lynnette, Gregory, and Philip.
Throughout her career, Gladys had many occupations: Stay-at-home mom, custodian and lunch server at Sully Christian School, bank teller, and administrative assistant. Some of Gladys’s favorite hobbies were traveling, reading, sewing, gardening, and bird-watching. Gladys loved spoiling her grandkids, and she made sure there was always plenty to eat.
Gladys was a member of Sully Christian Reformed Church where she ran sound for the church and Sounds of Praise music group.
Gladys was preceded in death by her husband Russell, her parents, her parents-in-law Gilbert and Jennie Stravers, her brother Arvin Lanser, her sister-in-law Marilyn Schuling, and her brothers-in-law Marvin Vande Voort and Marvin Meppelink.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children and their families: Jeff (Jody) Stravers of Sully, Brenda (Mark) McKay of Attica, Lynn Nichols of Des Moines, Greg (Marcy) Stravers of Pella, and Phil (Amy) Stravers of Pella. She is also survived by her sister Ilene Meppelink of Pella, her brother Melvin (Wanda) Lanser of Lynnville, and sisters-in-law Velma (Larry) Ouwenga of DeMotte, IN, and Sandra (Phil) Braziel of Waukee.
