Gladys Rhoads

Gladys Mae Rhoads, 83, of Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at the Grundy Care Center, while under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 18, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Gladys was born on May 15, 1933 in Clinton, Iowa. Her parents, Henry and Hannah (Smit) Henrichs, raised her in Grundy Center. Gladys graduated from Grundy Center High School in the Class of 1951. She was united in marriage to her husband Carl Rhoads on October 14, 1953 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. Together they welcomed four children into their family. Gladys worked as her husband's bookkeeper at the Shell Gas Station that he owned and operated in Grundy Center, in addition to being a homemaker and wonderful mother.

She was a life-long member of Bethany Presbyterian Church and helped in the ladies' circle and served the church as a custodian. Gladys enjoyed quilting, gardening, cooking, baking and fishing. However, her true joy in life came from spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Gladys is survived by her children Curtis (Kevi) Rhoads, Karilyn Meyer (Les Smit), Kendall (Val) Rhoads and Karla (Jim) DeBoer; 16 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; brothers Robert and Edward Miller; sister Jean Paulsen; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Carl; son-in-law Dobbie Meyer; brother Ralph Miller and sister Edna Jean Downey.