Gladys Karlas
Wood River |
Gladys M. (Deatherage) Karlas, 85, passed away peacefully, Friday, January 16, 2015 at Rosewood Care Center of Alton after a brief illness.
She was born October 19, 1929 in Drumright, OK, the daughter of George B. and Lucy B. (Henry) Deatherage.
At age 15, she left home to get a job and help support her mother and younger siblings as they fell on hard times. She kept working all her life as a waitress, in factories, even tried out driving semi-truck for the former Standard Oil Company in Wood River. She worked many years at SAFB Commissary in Illinois and her final and longest job was school bus driver for Laidlaw Transit, now First Student, in Collinsville, IL, finally retiring at 82 years old due to illness.
Her dream was to own a fr=arm and she made that happen in 1977, purchasing 17 acres in Troy, IL, that only had a one room summer house, outhouse, barn and shed. She loved her farm and made a home there. She had many animals over the years. Always dogs and cats that had many kittens, as well as chickens, sheep, goats, turkeys, a donkey and a pot belly pig.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lewis H. Karlas, who passed away at the young age of 46; longtime companion, Bill Baumhardt; son, Kenny Karlas; infant great granddaughter, Paige Audrey Karlas; brother and sister-in-law, Truman and Jean (Thompson) Deatherage of Villa Ridge, MO; sisters, Mary Kathryn "Patty" Deatherage-Hutcherson-West of Shawnee, OK, Leona Deatherage-Thompson of Mountain View, MO; brothers-in-law, L.F. Hutcherson, Jim D. Cummings and Virgil Thompson all of Mountain View, MO, and Jack Skillings of Shawnee, OK; nephew, Francis Patrick "Little Pat" Hutcherson of Mountain View, MO.
She is survived by her children, Alice Marshall Goewey (Gerry Forbes), Steve (Robin) Karlas, Bob (Angie) Karlas, Susan (Jerry) Wenzara; daughter-in-law, Kathy Baker Karlas; grandchildren, Bill Yelton, Carole (Marty) Clements, David (Robin) Goewey, Brad Goewey, Chris (Daphne) Goewey, Christine (Mike) Shea, Mike (Kay) Karlas, Kerri Karlas (Adam Cartwright), Tommy Karlas, Aaron (Diane) Karlas, Nathan (Kellie) Karlas, Nick Wenzara, Katie Wenzara; 19 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; sisters, Jennie Cummings of Mountain View, MO, Ruby (Carl) Holt of Tecumseh, OK; brother, Delbert (Judy) Deatherage of Carthage, MO; brother-in-law Robert (Sarah) Karlas of Godfrey; as well as many nieces, nephews and their children.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 24 at Marks Mortuary in Wood River.
Burial will follow in Wanda Cemetery in South Roxana.
Memorials may be made in Gladys' name to the 5A's no-kill animal shelter, 4530 N. Alby St., Godfrey, IL 62035.
Mark's Mortuary
