Gladys Blom
Gladys LaVonne Blom, 83, Luverne, died Tuesday, July 24, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
A funeral service was Friday, July 27, at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Gladys Van Essen was born Aug. 4, 1934, to Cornie and Angeline (Van Dyke) Van Essen in Leota. She was baptized in 1934 and confirmed on Sept. 2, 1951, both at Bethel Reformed Church in Leota. Gladys attended country school through the eighth grade.
On June 20, 1952, Gladys married Alvin Blom at the Naval Chapel in Bremerton, Washington. The couple made their home in Bremerton until 1954 when Alvin was honorably discharged from the United States Marines. The couple moved back to Leota where Alvin and Gladys began farming. In 1964 they began a dry cleaning business in Edgerton which they operated until 1976. They then moved their business to Luverne and operatee the business until selling it in 1995. Even in their retirement they remained very active within the community and enjoyed working and volunteering as a team.
Gladys was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne, where she was involved in church circle. Throughout her life Gladys knew the value of hard work and enjoyed being able to help others. She enjoyed camping and annual summer road trips to California to visit family.
Gladys is survived by her husband of 66 years, Alvin; three children, Glenda (Arlyn) Hofland of Sioux City, Iowa, Rhonda (David) Wynia of Luverne, and Terry (Lisa) Blom of San Antonio, Texas; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; siblings Ila Jean (Bill) Mouw of Sioux Center, Iowa, Lloyd (Sharon) Van Essen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Orlin (Kathy) Van Essen of Sioux Center; and sister-in-law Elsie Van Essen of Seal Beach, California.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Harvey Van Essen.
Memorials are preferred to the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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