Gladys Luft

Gladys Luft, 89, died Saturday, April, 8, 2017. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 13 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. Burial will take place at a later date at Franklin Township Cemetery, Cooper, Iowa. Visitation with the family present to greet friends was from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday prior to the service.  

Gladys Iona Luft was born August 24, 1927 in Denison, Iowa to Peter J. and Annie Boyles Heeren. She had four brothers and two sisters. Gladys attended rural school in Crawford County and graduated from Denison High School in 1947.

Gladys helped on the family farm until she married Leonard Luft on June 9, 1947. The couple later moved to the Jefferson area in the early 1950’s. The couple was blessed with nine children. Gladys was widowed in the spring of 1967, leaving her to support her children doing domestic work for many friends and neighbors, whether windows or yardwork, no job was too much for her. Her children learned their most valuable lessons from her, to work hard and that anything worth having was worth working for.

Gladys enjoyed gardening, flowers, sewing, needle crafts and sending birthday and Christmas cards to her many relatives and friends.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leonard; three children: Leon, Francis and Harold; grandson, Preston Luft; and siblings. She is survived by her children: Earl (Gail) Luft of Westside, Iowa, Cathy (Jim) Stammer of Perry, Ruth Ann (John) Bridges of Lincoln, Neb., Iona (Lyle) Hoyle of Bagley, Ellen (Gary) Bishop and Lois (Jeff) Custer all of Jefferson; daughter-in-law,  Bev Luft of Jefferson; her brother, Hubert Heeren of Turpin, Okla.; 13 grandchildren: Lenny (Wendy) Luft, Amy (Dan) Graham, Charlene Luft, Lynnette Tigges, Steven (Melissa) Stammer, Julie Stammer, Aaron Stammer, Steve (Denise) Ross, Tony (Jamie) Ross, Crystal Lawton, Autumn (Reed) Larson, Ashley (Matt) Wignall and Trent Custer; 22 great-grandchildren: Tyler, Cydnie, Alexander, Justin, Shleby, Kaitlin, Josh, Emily, Andrew, Austin, Carson, Gavin S., Haley, Gavin R., Eathan, Castle, Logan, Landon, Lilly, Eric, Emma and Thomas; nieces; nephews; other relatives; and many friends.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be used at their discretion.  Online condolences may be left at www.sliningerschroeder.com.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, 515-386-2171.