Gladys Irene Stenerson Amundson

July 22, 1917 – February 2, 2015 Services for Gladys Irene Amundson, age 97 of Minneota, will be Thursday, February 12, at 11:00 a.m. at the Hemnes Lutheran Church in rural Minneota. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at Rehkamp-Horvath Funeral Home in Minneota with a prayer service at 6:00 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at church on Thursday. Interment to follow at Hemnes Lutheran Cemetery. Gladys was born on Sunday, July 22, 1917 at 8:30 p.m. on the family farm in Nordland Township in rural Minneota, the oldest child of Henry & Victoria (Duthoy) Stenerson. She was baptized at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneota. Gladys was confirmed at Hope Lutheran Church on May 29, 1932. She graduated from Minneota High School on May 29, 1936. On November 29, 1939 she married Alfred Amundson at Hope Lutheran Church. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Jeanette and Donald. They farmed by Ivanhoe in partnership with Alfred’s brother and wife, Edwin & Marie Amundson. They purchased a farm together in Nordland Township by Minneota and continued to farm until Alfred’s death on April 5, 1950. Gladys and her children moved to Minneota in 1953, where she began her career in bookkeeping. She first worked at the Minneota Creamery. When it closed she worked at the Marshall Creamery until its closing, and then worked at the Russell Creamery. In 1959, she began working at the Geiwitz & Co., a John Deere dealership, until it closed and then went to work at Dr. A.W. Pennings Veterinary in Taunton. Her last work place was the Minneota Elevator where she worked until she retired. She continued to be Treasurer of Hemnes Lutheran Church until the age of 93. After retirement, she enjoyed all of the activities at the Senior Center in Minneota. As her health failed, she moved to the Madison Avenue Apartments where she enjoyed all of the activities, especially bingo. On October 14, 2013, Gladys moved into the Minneota Manor. She continued to attend all activities. On the evening of Monday, February 2, 2015, Gladys died peacefully at the Minneota Manor under the care of Prairie Home Hospice. Family and friends surrounded her with love and prayers the last few days of her life. Her strong faith sustained her throughout her whole life. She loved teaching preschoolers in Sunday school for 28 years. Gladys enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s school activities, going to a lot of band and choir concert and loved basketball games. She made the best banana bread and Rice Krispy bars, which she brought to birthday parties and holiday meals. She always had a root beer float treat for her grandchildren at home. She enjoyed challenging her grandchildren in checkers and the card game 500, beating them most of the time. Family was very important to her. Gladys is survived by her daughter, Jeanette (Robert) Fixen of Minneota; son, Donald (Joan) Amundson of Grafton, WI; 6 grandchildren, Randall (Ahna) Fixen, Daniel (Kimberly) Fixen, Joel Fixen, Robert (Debra) Fixen Jr., Kristen (Guy) Hummel, and Megan (Kyle Emge) Amundson; 8 great-grandchildren, Amanda (Nathan) Besse, Elizabeth Fixen, Christopher Fixen, Mariah Fixen, Kiersten Fixen, Gretchen Fixen, Allison Fixen, and Halle Emge; two sisters, Marie Currie and Myrtle Fairbanks; sister-in-law, Clara Amundson; special nephew, Jerry Stenerson; special niece, Melanie Williams; and many other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Alfred; parents, Henry & Victoria Stenerson; brother, Harvey Stenerson; sister, Alice Monson; sister-in-law, Doris Stenerson; and brother-in-law, Harold Monson. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Madison Avenue Apartments, the staff of the Minneota Manor, the Prairie Home Hospice staff, and the E.R. and CCU units of the Avera Marshall Hospital for all their kindness and great care the last few years and the last days of Gladys’s life. A special thanks to her Hemnes Church family and Pastor Munter for the prayers, support, and acts of kindness.