Gladys Wolf

Gladys Wolf left this world on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, in Salmon, Idaho.

She was the only child of George and Julia Haines, born April 22, 1915 in Webster, Wisconsin. Her oldest son Wendell preceded her in death in 1972 as well as her beloved husband of 57 years, Louie, in 1993.

Gladys grew up and spent her school years in Great Falls, Mont. After graduating from High School her family relocated to western Montana where she met and married Louie.

They bought a farm and started their family, Wendell, Lou (Shorty) and Carol were born. After spending many years drilling for water with no success they sold the farm and moved to Clark Fork, Idaho.

Gladys worked at the local fish hatchery clipping fins as a seasonal job. She will always be remembered for her large garden, flowers and her famous raspberry patch that produced her much loved raspberry jam. Their forth child, Debra, was born in 1955.

In 1984, Louis and Gladys bought a small home in Overton, Nev., where they spent the reminder of their winters together.

As old friends that had each lost their mate, Gladys and John Hessel-gesser spent time together traveling and enjoying each others company until John passed in 1998.

Gladys continued to spend her summers in Idaho and her winters in Nevada until her battle with breast cancer.

She then started living with her daughter, Carol, and son-in-law, Don Vick, in Indiana during the summer.

While spending the summers in Indiana, Gladys was able to be close to her youngest daughter, Deb, her husband, Dennis, and their two children, Alicia and Joshua.

Every fall the three snowbirds would travel back to Nevada for the winter where she continued to enjoy the warm days and her many friends.

She enjoyed the jam sessions at the Overton Senior Center, with her dancing partner Dave Hiedel. The date of the return trip to Indiana, for the summer, always depended on when the “Relay for Life” was held in Overton because she was so proud to walk that first lap with all the other cancer survivors.

In 2004, the Indiana home was sold and the family of three moved to Salmon, Idaho, for the summers, they continued to return to Overton for the winter. Her son Shorty (Lou) and daughter-in-law Sharon also lived in Salmon, bringing her family closer together.

 In 2007 Gladys entered the Discovery Care Center in Salmon.

Gladys is survived by her son, Lou, and his wife, Sharon, of Salmon;  her daughter, Carol, and her husband, Don Vick, of Overton;  her daughter, Debra, and her husband, Dennis ,of Chesterton, Ind.; eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.

Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2009, at Coffelt Funeral Service, 109 N. Division, Sandpoint, Idaho, with graveside services to follow  at 2 p.m. PST (3 p.m. MST) in the Heron Cemetery in Heron, Mont.

The family suggests memorials to the Salmon Idaho Hospice, 506 Van Dreff St., Salmon, ID 83467.

Family and friends are invited to sign Gladys’ online guest book at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint, Idaho.