Gladyce Josephine Kroll-1911 -2008

KROLL, EVENSON, MELBY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/29/2019 at 20:02:58

Mapleton Press
15 May 2008

Gladyce Josephine Kroll-1911 -2008

Gladyce Josephine Kroll was born Gladyce Josephine Evenson to Martin and Anna Melby Evenson in Soldier, Iowa on August 9,1911. A change in the spelling of her first name came about because of preference and, as far as I am aware was never changed legally.

She went to her eternal rest on April 28, 2008, having reached the age of ninety-six years, eight months and nineteen days at the Reed House in Denison, Iowa where she had resided for the last five years of her life.

Mother, as I shall refer to her because she always preferred it over Mom, was one of five children born to Martin and Anna being raised in a small white house just up the street from the Lutheran Church where Grandma taught Sunday School for some thirty-five years hardly missing a Sunday. Brothers Conrad - known as "Cricket" for his speed on the basketball court, "Lloyd" - known as "Toad" for reasons of which I am unaware, and Vernon were dear to her Sister Alice always had a special place in her heart, and in later years when she returned home to visit, she was always eager to spend time with Alice. Through the years, Mother was known as "Boots". "Nanny Jo" (particularly by her grandchildren and probably her favorite), and "Norski" (a name given by Dad because of her Norwegian blood line and the pride with which she carried it).

Mother attended public school in Soldier. She played forward for the high school basketball team and almost bragged that she thought she was pretty good. Always a sport fan as demonstrated by her loyal following of the Chicago Cubs and the Iowa Hawkeyes. She could sit and watch entire college basketball games when she had no idea who was playing. During years while living in both Ute and Tampa, Florida, she was an avid golfer playing as much as three times a week for years. She Had the cutest little twist move with her right foot that you ever saw. Her greatest obstacle was water, possibly because of her lifelong fear of it. Once in Tampa she put more balls into a pond than I can remember. She graduated from high school in 1929, attended teachers training college in Cedar Falls, and then taught country school for several years. She purchased her own car during that time and was apparently quite generous letting her brothers drive it because of their lack thereof. Her unfilled desire was to attend St. Olaf College in Minnesota and study music.

Times were hard growing up, yet happy family times. The greatest sorrow and hardship during young years at home was the death of her father, Martin, from stomach cancer. He had operated the general store on main street. Cricket, being the eldest carried the most responsibility, but all had to pitch in and work to make ends meet as they went into and through the years of depression.

In the mid-thirties Mother began dating a handsome hard-working young man from Ute. Donald Kroll was a young man from a good family who had the misfortune of having seven sisters and no brothers. To make matters worse, he was second to the youngest. That must have offered some benefits on learning to get along with the opposite sex, because he soon won the heart of Gladyce. They were married in the Lutheran Church just walking distance from her home on July 2,1937. They made their home in Ute, where Don was growing his own wholesale jobber business which supported the family for many years.

The family began to grow on February 8,1939 when Larry, the first of two children was born. About four years later on March 6,1943, Lou Anna was born. As children we always had the love and security of a good home in a small-town environment. Dad was a hard-working husband and father who always provided for our needs and many of our wants. Mother was loving, faithful, unselfish and always there for us. She kept a clean and neat house. We can remember the restrictions about tramping across the pretty wood floors with dirty feet, particularly before the ladies club was to meet at our house. Mother was good cook, and we always had tasty generous meals. Home was safe and happy place.

Mother was active in the community ladies club and sang special music for many weddings, funerals, church, and community services. She had a part starting the Ute Library. We were always proud of her, because she was the prettiest Mother in town and always looked the part. She continued that well into her elder years, loving to dress in color, red was her favorite, and demonstrating good choice in apparel. She always had a cute figure to go with five-foot two-inch frame. She could walk with a certain air of distinction, yet not haughty, arrogant, or proud, for that she was not. During those years we attended the Soldier Lutheran Church where mother ministered and taught vacation bible school. Those were special times for us. We also attended the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ute where dad was a member. So we were exposed and given opportunity to be members of either faith.

In 1957, Dad moved the family to Tampa, Florida where he assumed management of the Rocky Point Golf Course. Mother never really adjusted to life in Florida though she made the most of it. She always missed Iowa and all it meant to her. During that time, away from her home church in Soldier, she attended the Tampa South Seventh-day Adventist Church. Dad was not attending on a regular basis for several years, and she seemed to keep the spiritual life active to get them through those difficult years. In about 1980, she was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fletcher, North Carolina.

In 1983, Dad and Mom moved to Asheville, North Carolina where Larry and his family were living. Larry had three sons, the eldest of whom had muscular dystrophy and required complete care. One of the main reasons they moved there was to be of support and assist in the care and education of their grandson Timothy. They were of tremendous encouragement and assistance. He eventually managed to get a college degree in History and Business but died the next year from pneumonia. Once again, Mom and Dad had demonstrated the love of Jesus by their self-sacrificing love.

Mom and Dad were happy in Asheville. Life was good for a number of years, until Dad died of colon Carcinoma in 1998 at the age of 87. Mother had always been the more frail one in our opinion, but she managed to live in their condominium for another four and a half years. Unable to drive, care for herself well, and starting to vegetate, she needed a change to jump start her interests again. Lou Anna found opportunity at the Reed House in Denison for assisted living for her. She moved into the Reed House in April of 2003. It was great experience for her. We are convinced she would have not done as well in any other setting. The facility has been wonderful, but the people truly represent the essence of what Christianity is all about, the simplicity of the gospel - love and service. We are so thankful to all who have attended to our Mother's needs during these last years and months. The last weeks and days have been difficult, but she was permitted to die gently with dignity as loving caregivers from both the Reed House and Hospice gave her comfort. For that we will be forever grateful.

Mother leaves two brothers, Vernon Evenson and his wife, Vivian in Wisconsin, and Lloyd Evenson in Hollywood, California.

She leaves a daughter, Lou Anna Goslar and her husband, Ronnie, who she repeatedly exclaimed to be a wonderful person) of Ute, a son Larry Kroll M.D. and his wife Dianne(equally declared to be a wonderful person) of Arden, North Carolina; five living grandchildren, Marcy and her husband, Rollie Weibers of Denison, Kelly and her husband Nick Fegen of Waukee, Chad and his wife Wynn of Ute, Peter Kroll M.D. and his wife Julie of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, and Mark Kroll M.D. and his wife Gissela of Nashville, Tennessee. She also leaves two step grandchildren, Brigett Pangkey and her husband, Steven, and Jeanett Dunn of Loma Linda, California. In addition, she leaves a total of fifteen great grandchildren and two great -great- grandchildren.

More importantly she leaves us with the memories of a loving, dedicated, unselfish Christian lady who loved Jesus and honored Him by the way she lived her life in loving service to Him and to us. We will ever be grateful the Lord chose to share her life with us. What more could we ask! We will miss her. But as Christians, we never say good-by. For we know that we will see her again in the morning.