Gladys Grace (Perry) Johnson

Gladys passed away peacefully on January 31, 2019.  She was born to Cyril and Charlotte (Wetstine) Van Lerberghe on March 29, 1920 in Arco, Minnesota.  She was just 57 days shy of celebrating her 99th birthday. 

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Holly J. Perry; brothers, Kenneth Van Lerberghe and Gordon Van Lerberghe; sisters, Irene Tople, Wardean White and Elvina Schroeder; brothers-in-law, Erwin Tople, Pat White and Herman Schroeder; sisters-in-law, Vi Van Lerberghe and Helen Van Lerberghe; son-in-law, Dennis Sandbo; daughter-in-law, Susanne Perry, nephews, Dean Tople and Wayne Van Lerberghe.

Gladys is survived by her son, Harvey Perry; daughter, La Vonne (John) Simola; grandchildren, Glenn Perry, Debbie (Al) Harper, Kimberly Rose, Chad Sandbo, Holly Brutlag and Jason (Kara) Perry; great-grandchildren, Samantha Parry, Devin Perry, Ashley (Danny) Stone, Cassandra (Matt) Jensen, Hunter Brutlag, Dillon Brutlag, Camilla Rose, Evan Rose and Lexi Perry; great-great-grandchildren, Kaiden and Peyton Jensen; many nieces and nephews, other family, and many, many friends she has met over the years.

She grew up in the Arco area and attended country school.  On April 18, 1940, she was united in marriage to Holly J. Perry.  This union was blessed with two children, Harvey Holly Perry and La Vonne Gladys Perry.

They farmed several years until they moved to Marshall where Holly did carpentry work and Gladys worked at Swift and Company.  In 1953, they moved to Minneapolis where Gladys worked in machine shops.  Mother was a very hard worker and always needed something to stay busy no matter where she was – even up to her nineties.  She had a lot of spunk as some would say. 

Gladys lost her soulmate, Holly, on May 19, 1966 to cancer.  She continued to live in Crystal, Minnesota for almost 40 years and took care of her home by herself.  In 2001, she moved to Elk River, Minnesota where she purchased a townhome in Elk Run Village, where she stayed for 14 years.  She then decided to move to St. Benedict’s Assisted Living in Monticello.  From there she went to CentraCare Nursing Home in Monticello. 

Gladys loved to travel, going to Belgium (her father’s home country) with her niece, Eunice Hall.  She made many trips with her girlfriend and Daughter & son-in-law to Alaska, California, Branson, Canada, Wyoming and Four Winters in Arizona.  Gladys always had a smile as she enjoyed life.  She enjoyed dancing to 1940’s music and listening to Lawrence Welk on Saturday night, embroidery, gardening – even into her nineties she had flowers and tomatoes to share with everyone. 

Gladys loved her church and made it by herself each Sunday.

Blessed be her memory.

Funeral service at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at Central Lutheran Church, 1103 School Street NW, Elk River, with visitation one hour prior to the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Central Lutheran Church in Elk River, Minnesota.

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