BOWERS, Gladys A. 1906-2004

BOWERS, ZEMKE, BENEDICT

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/18/2009 at 11:36:30

GRAFTON, IOWA — Gladys A. Bowers, 97, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, formerly Grafton, died Monday (July 26, 2004) at the Good Samaritan Care Center in St. Ansgar.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, with the Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Bride Colonial Chapel in Manly, and then one hour before the service at the church.

The family suggests memorials to Gladys A. Bowers Memorial Fund.

Gladys was born Nov. 6, 1906, in rural Nora Springs, the daughter of Harrison and Minnie (Zemke) Benedict. She graduated from Nora Springs High School in 1924 and then attended Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Gladys married Elmer Bowers on Dec. 1, 1925, at the Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa. They bought the Schermerhorn Dairy in Mason City where she was the bookkeeper.

In 1955 they moved to Grafton where they owned and operated Farmers Sate Bank.

She enjoyed traveling, dancing, working in her garden, baking for her family and spending their winters in Arizona, where they met many friends.

She was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, Iowa.

Gladys will be sadly missed by her three children: Clarice Venechuk and her husband, Jack, of Grafton, Bud Bowers and his wife, Colleen, of Gilbert, Ariz. and Joy Buechele and her husband Jerry, of Grafton, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Cindy Retterath and her husband Gene, of Grafton, Sam Venechuk and his wife Shelly, of Northwood, Tracey Fossey and her husband, Mike, of St. Ansgar, Pam Symond and her husband, Shaun, of Flag Staff, Ariz., Rick Bowers, of Phoenix, Ariz., Andy Buechele and his wife, Lisa, of Grafton, and Sara Moroney and her husband, Steve, of Vista, Calif.; her 14 great-grandchildren Katie Jo Venechuk, Samuel Venechuk, Nicole Venechuk, Billy Retterath, Bob Retterath, Ben Retterath, Will Fossey, Tom Fossey, Brianne Fossey, Cody Thompson, Logan Bowers, Hayley Buechele, Dylan Buechele and Briar Buechele; two great-great-grandchildren Carter and Jenna Retterath.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Elmer 1990; two brothers, Harry and Earl; and one sister Marie.

Bride Colonial Chapel, (641) 454-2242.

wwwcolonialchapels.com.

[Globe Gazette]