OBITUARY: Gladys A. (Benedict) Bowers, 1906-2004, Mitchell Co., Iowa

[Based on obituary in Northwood Anchor online, July 28, 2004]




                           Gladys A. Bowers
                           
Gladys A. Bowers, 97, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, formerly of Grafton, Iowa,
died Monday July 26, 2004 at the Good Samaritan Center, St. Ansgar.

Funeral services were Wednesday July 28, 2004 at Emmanuel Lutheran
Church, Grafton with Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating.  Graveside
services were at Memorial Park Cemetery, in Mason City, Iowa.

Gladys was born Nov. 6, 1906 in Rural Nora Springs, Iowa, 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 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.

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



      Copyright 2004, K. Kittleson