Gladys Van Sickle
April 18, 2009
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Service Details
Gladys Van Sickle, 93, died, April 18, 2009 at Trinity Care Center in Des Moines IA.
A funeral service will be held 11 AM, Thursday, April 23, 2009 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon St. with burial to follow at the Masonic Cemetery. Visitation will occur, 5-8 PM, Wednesday evening at the funeral home.
Gladys was born August 10, 1915 to Merle and Ernst Lawrence in New Virginia Ia.
Gladys was a member of the Union Park Baptist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed social gatherings and helping others in need.
Gladys is survived by her sons, Donald (June), David, Larry (Pat) Van Sickle; daughter, Eleanor (George) Mackrell; brother, Paul Lawrence; sister, Betty Doughty; 10 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren and other loving family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Van Sickle, Sr. her parents; 3 sisters and 2 brothers.
Memorial contributions may be directed toward the Children’s Ministry at the Union Park Baptist Church.
www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com
Dave Highsmith
04/25/2009
I would like to tell you a little info about Gladys Van Sickle. When Wendy and I were in high school, our youth pastor had this idea of having us experience church ministry (sound familiar students?)Anyway, he selected us two by two and sent us off teaching Sunday School in different area's. Wendy and I went to the 2 and 3 yr old room where Gladys taught. It was a good experience to get our feet wet, so to speak, on church ministry and see a consistent and faithful servant in action. After high school, Wendy and I were trying to figure out where to plug in and because of the good experience in the 2's and 3's we decided to once again set the tone for our ministry,I believe even to this day. We left the 2's and 3's where we had kids like Adam Curl and went on to name our singles and young marrieds group the 1's and 2's. Many years and many kids later, Gladys was still teaching in that room - it really makes you consider your own service to the Lord when you see the service of this little lady Sunday after Sunday loving on kids. I feel blessed by Gladys' faithfulness. As Wendy mentioned, Gladys' son and daughter-in-law have been supporters of UPBC youth ministry for years - giving financial gifts even though they know no one to whom the gift will be given and entrusting Wendy to use it wisely. Once again I feel blessed by Gladys' and in turn her family's faithfulness to the Lord. It is sad that she is no longer with us but I have no doubt that the Lord is saying to her, "Well done, good and faithful servant".
Kim (Van Sickle) Bogaard
04/24/2009
When you come to the end of your life, it's your character that counts. Grandma V. sure had a lot of character. Most of the time we all laughed at her character, but when you look back at how she lived her life, you'll see that she left us with some great examples to follow.
Grandma always worked - she made dinner for the family each night and then went off the work and never complained. Her job(s) really kept the family going during tough times. She didn't know how to drive so she would ride the bus to work and anywhere else she needed to go. She was very independent. She then decided to get her drivers license after Grandpa died, even though it took her many attempts to finally pass the driving test. She was very persistent, and never gave up.
Grandma never let anything bother her - whether she had a houseful of people (including a bunch of wild grandkids) or if no one came to visit, she just took everything in stride. She was also very forgiving, and there were people in her life that at times needed a lot of forgiveness. She lived out Eph. 5:32 which says "And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also forgives you."
Even with all of Grandma's crazy, quirky behavior, I hope I can live by her examples of Godly character, independence, forgiveness, stick-to-itiveness and just going with the flow. Grandma taught us a lot even if we weren't paying attention to the lessons when we were younger.
Lori (Van Sickle) Stansbury
04/22/2009
Just thinking about all the things I remember about Grandma- shrill noises, Matthew Mark Luke John..., her teaching Sunday School and trying to talk to little kids when we would go places, her burps, yearly photos of herself for us to have, her garden and flowers at her house, wearing shoes all the time, living what 20 years past when she was in a nursing home and ready to give up, her love of God and church, playing games with her, her white candy dish, wallets for Christmas, chap stick vs. lip potion, Jodi's undies!, Easter bonnets, her recording the weather and who won on Price is Right, Search- a -Words, wild slippers she made for us all, towels anyone?, loved those cough drops!, Her great laugh, her joy of just being alive and healthy, etc.....
Love you all and see you soon!
Lori
JAMES GEBHARDT
04/22/2009
My favorite story of grandma V is when at a ripe old age of around 65 she decided to get her drivers license. At that time me and my brother Al were living next to grandma V. Alas we were the ones to mold her into a lean mean driving machine. It seemed like each day after we got home from work we'd hear her front porch door slam shut, our eyes would widen, our pulse would race and we would start to bargain with each other on who would take grandma V on her evening white knuckle drive. She got her license. And as a side note grandma V was a great christian in my eyes because while driving with her I became much closer to Jesus. I'll miss you grand ma Love your grand sone jim G. See ya In Heaven