Gladys Youderian Stuifbergen

Gladys Youderian Stuifbergen
October 29, 1914 - January 24, 2013 A farm girl, Gladys, the daughter of Edward and Margaret Youderian, was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. She had delicate features and, as time passed, her parents noticed that she had a love for finer things. Her mother bought her a hat by catalog and when it came, thought the feather detracted from it. Young Gladys protested, "You leave that feather on there now." She was a sweet and spunky little girl, always with a cute sense of humor. Later in life, she and her older sister Lois took secretarial jobs in the city. Five years later they got news of baby brother Loren and five years after that in 1924, of new baby sister Alberta. Gladys and Alberta became close in later years after Lois and their mother Margaret passed away. Gladys married Anthony Stuifbergen in 1946 and they had a son James in 1951. She worked many years alongside her husband of 26 years in their Home Building Business of Stuifbergen and Reames as a bookkeeper, until his death. Gladys was a homemaker and later had a job as head secretary in the Admissions Department at Western Michigan University until her retirement in 1979. Gladys and husband Tony loved to travel, camp, fish, ski, and raise their son James Jim. Always a country girl at heart, Gladys and Tony built their dream home in rural Kalamazoo. There Gladys was hostess to many family gatherings. She was an excellent pie maker, cherry being her son's favorite. At Easter she cooked the most delicious ham and mashed potatoes. She grew beautiful roses, which she often shared with friends and family. In 1972 Gladys lost her husband and love of her life and never remarried. In following years, she stayed very close to her sister Alberta, her son and daughter-in-law Beverly, her three grandsons and great-grandson. She continued her love of travel, camping with family, and even took a four-week trip on the Al-Can Highway to Alaska with three other women - all staying in a pop-up camper. That determination carried her throughout her life, along with her love of the Lord and her family. She attended Bethel Baptist Church and had an active prayer life. She is now home in heaven with her Savior and loved ones. She was preceded in death by husband Anthony, son James, Brother Loren, sisters Lois and Alberta, and nieces Carol and Anita. Surviving are daughter-in-law Beverly Stuifbergen Vanlandegent Don, grandsons Adam, Jonathon Kelli, Stephen Jessica, and great-grandson Logan; nieces Nancy, Patricia, Connie and Bonnie, and nephews Robert, Loren Jr., Brian, Daniel, Nathan, and David. Services were held 2:00pm Saturday, January 26th at Langeland Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th Street, with her nephew, Nathan Brown officiating. A private interment was held in Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park South. Memorials in Gladys' memory may be directed to the ALS Association of Michigan in memory of her son, James.