Kirby, Gladys P.

Gladys P. Kirby, 94, of Hopkinton, formerly of Sand Springs, died Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, at Shady Rest Care Center, Cascade. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at Kramer Funeral Home, Monticello, where a parish Scripture service will be held at 8 p.m. Friends may continue to call after 9 a.m. Friday at St. Luke Catholic Church in Hopkinton. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 6 at St. Luke Catholic Church in Hopkinton, with burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Monticello. Officiating will be the Rev. John Gladys was born on Jan. 30, 1916, in Halbrite, Saskatchewan, Canada, the daughter of Nick and Rosena (Atchinson) Wilgenbusch. She married Raymond J. Kirby on April 7, 1937, in Sand Springs, Iowa. Together they farmed near Sand Springs for 40 years. Gladys retired to Hopkinton in 1979 (two years after the death of her husband, Ray) where she lived until 2006. She enjoyed baking and spending time with her family.

Survivors include her children, Connie (Ron) Heims and Carol (Wayne) Ludwig, all of Dyersville, Rose (Bruce) Brillhart of Dubuque, Jane (Dave) Jesenovec of Hopkinton, and Kay Feldmann of Anamosa; 22 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; five sisters, Rose Britt of Delhi, Mary Lauersdorf of Manchester, Laura (Art) Feldmann of Hopkinton, Elsie Ries of Cascade, and Alice (Robert) Kirpes of Dubuque; two sisters-in-law, Rita Wilgenbusch and Agnes Hucker; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Raymond in 1977; her 6-year-old son, John in 1953; granddaughter, Juli Feldmann in 1982; and seven siblings, John and Tom and Herman “Bud” Wilgenbusch, Ethel Kenny, Mabel Guthrie, Viola Trumm and Myrtle Krogmann.

Gladys' family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the staff at Shady Rest Care Center for their loving care these last four years.

Information available and condolences accepted at