Services were held Tuesday, March 15, at First United Methodist Church for Gloria Ann Sutton, 92, of Jefferson.
The Rev Julie Poulson, pastor of the church, offered words of comfort, along with Gloria’s grandson Mark Warder, youth pastor in Richfield, MN, and her granddaughter Sarah Nazar, missionary in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Matt Schutt accompanied congregational singing.
Casket bearers were John Warder, Zachary Sutton, Mark Warder, Evan McWilliam and John Beltz. Interment was at the Jefferson Municipal Cemetery.
Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson.
Gloria Ann Sutton was born on an icy winter day, Feb. 17, 1924, to Jay Stewart and Ruth Seaman Stewart at their country home in Hardin Township, Greene County, IA. At age 18 months, Gloria had a double mastoidectomy at Iowa Methodist Hospital.
Gloria went to school at Hardin #4 and had the same teacher until completing eighth grade. During those years her biggest challenge was wondering if she would pass the test to be able to go to high school. She did pass, and also graduated from Jefferson High School in 1941. That was followed by one year at Iowa State University. However, romance ruled over education and Gloria married Keith Sutton on January 5, 1943, at the age of 19.
She set out on a course of being an Air Force wife. On their honeymoon, they drove to Eagle Pass, TX, where Keith was assigned as an instructor in the aircraft AT-6. While there, Gloria worked in the local bank as a teller. They soon moved again to Liberal, KS, where Keith instructed on the B-24s and Gloria worked as a clerk in a mobile home park. Next they went to San Antonio, TX, where Keith instructed on the B-29.
At last the war was over, and they returned to Greene County to start farming with only a small savings account on which they survived. The highlight of their marriage was the birth of their daughter Sharon in 1946. Then a few years later was another blessing when Bill was born in 1952. According to Gloria, “Both of them were a joy throughout our lives.”
Gloria belonged to the United Methodist Church in Jefferson and taught fifth grade Sunday School for several years. She was a member of church circle and the card recycling group. She was also a member of the Hardin Friendly Circle.
Gloria passed away March 10, 2016, at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Jay and Ruth Stewart, and her husband Keith.
Survivors include children Sharon Warder (John) of Burnsville, MN, and William Sutton (Donna) of Jefferson; grandchildren Lisa Speese (Gary) of Bloomington, MN, Laurie Brown (Nathan) of Mendocino, CA, Mark Warder (Kelli) of Richfield, MN, Sarah Nazar (Edward) of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Zachary Sutton of Des Moines; and great-grandchildren Caleb, Aaron, and Victoria Sigfrid, Tauren and Tasahra Brown, Julia and Will Warder and Elizabeth Nazar.
