Gladys Van Wettering

A live webcast of Gladys' service may be viewed at: http://www.arcluverne.org/watch-live/

GLADYS VAN WETTERING was born September 24, 1931 to John and Jennie (Teune) Hoff in rural Steen, Minnesota. She was baptized and later confirmed at the Steen Reformed Church. She first attended Country School, then school in Steen and finished her education through the 8th grade at the Hills Public School. She began working soon after this at Fikse Produce in Hills, Minnesota candling eggs. On August 28, 1951 Gladys was united in holy matrimony to Otto Van Wettering in her parent’s home. The newlywed’s first home was an apartment in Rock Rapids, Iowa where Gladys got a job at the JC Penney store. Almost a year later they moved to an apartment near the post office in Steen. In September of 1952, Otto was inducted into the United States Army and was first stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. Gladys moved into an apartment in nearby Manhattan, Kansas. Otto was later transferred to Fort Carson in Colorado and Gladys joined him there living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The couple returned to Minnesota in 1954 after Otto’s honorable discharge and moved to a farm outside of Steen. There they worked the land and raised their seven children. In 1970, they moved the family to a farm south of Luverne, Minnesota. The couple finished farming two years later and continued to live on the farm while Otto pursued a career in trucking and Gladys worked at K Products in Rock Rapids. Otto formally retired in 1993 and the couple moved to Luverne. Gladys not ready to slow down yet began doing home health care visits. In 1996 Otto became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home and Gladys began to visit twice daily bringing their black poodle “Buttons” along for her morning visit to entertain Otto and the other residents. Otto passed away in March of 2007. On Monday, June 6, 2016, while residing at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, Gladys went to be with her Lord at the age of 84 years, 8 months and 12 days.

Gladys was most recently a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne and had previously been a member of the Steen Reformed Church. Gladys and Otto always enjoyed attending the chapel services at the Minnesota Veterans Home on Sunday and Wednesdays. After Otto’s passing Gladys began volunteering with the other residents and found she particularly loved the time she spent volunteering at the Minnesota Veterans Home Chapel. She also enjoyed reading and the company of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.

Gladys will be lovingly remembered by her seven children; Cynthia (Howard) Schneekloth of Watertown, South Dakota, Janice (David) Sasse of Randolph, Minnesota, Stanley (Karen) Van Wettering of Luverne, Audrey (Dwight) Hemme of Chaska, Minnesota, Gloria (Kelly) Gangestad of Gillette, Wyoming, Andrew Van Wettering (friend, Christie Vitse) of Rochester, Minnesota, and Ardell (Jennifer) Van Wettering of Luverne; 13 grandchildren, Rachel, Michelle, Michael, Julie, Derek, Morgan, Connor, Eric, Amber, Leah, Kyle, Brooke, and Ashley; 7 great-grandchildren, Courtney, Logan, Calvin, Alandra, Paul, Gabriel, and Emelia; a sister, Bernice Aukes of Hills; two brothers, Peter Hoff of Hills, and Jerry (Mary) Hoff of Luverne; and one sister-in-law, Reva Hoff of Luverne. She was preceded in death by her husband, Otto Van Wettering; her parents, John and Jennie Hoff; a brother, Cornelius Hoff; and a grandson-in-law Robert Gusso.