Gladys Lucille White


Gladys Lucille White, the daughter of Calvin E. and Mabel (Pflug) Leaders was born October 8, 1914 on the family farm near Minden, IA and died January 2, 2013 at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home in Oakland, IA at the age of 98 years, 2 months, and 25 days.


Gladys attended York country school until the eighth grade and then helped her parents with household and farm chores. She was united in marriage to Elvin F. Fritz on June 2nd, 1937 at the home of her parents. Three children were born to this union: Gene, Dennis, and Joyce. Elvin died on July 14, 1966. Gladys moved from the farm into Oakland in 1970. On September 23, 1972 she married Kenneth White. They made their home in Oakland. Kenneth passed away on August 26, 1988. She maintained her home until 2010 when she moved to Oakland Manor.


Gladys was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, where she had served as a Sunday school teacher for 25 years, Vacation Bible School Superintendent for 20 years and had been active in the women's group. She had spent many hours volunteering with the Oakland Historical Society and the Nishna Heritage Museum, and also volunteered at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home for many years, well into her 90's. She loved to bake, and at an early age had learned to bake pies and bread.


Gladys is preceded in death by her husbands, Elvin and Kenneth; her grandson Jeffery Gene; her parents; her sister Ilene Applegate; her brothers: Vernon, Lloyd, Calvin, Wayne, and Gerald; her sisters-in-law: Vera, Edna, Dorothy, and Loretta; and her brothers-in-law Earl Applegate and Gene Graalfs.


She is survived by her children: Gene Fritz and wife Sharell of Oakland, Dennis Fritz and wife Sandra of Oakland, and Joyce Osborn of Treynor; her grandchildren Melissa Lewis and husband Rick, Greg Fritz and wife Angela, Guthrey Fritz and wife Heather, Dani Akana, Chris Wredt, Courtney Heisey and husband Brad, Jennifer Dashner and husband Owen, Michelle Osborn, Mike Osborn and wife Kay, and Mark Osborn and wife Nikki; her great grandchildren: Kiley, Lanie, Jacie, Kacie, Taylor, Dillon, Jacob, Ava, Grace, Maya, Amber, Cassandra, Graham, Emma, Cole, Avery, Olivia, Monica, Ava, Cole, James, Grace, Will, and Sam; three great grandchildren; her brothers Kenneth Leaders and Lowell Leaders and wife Phyllis of Minden; her sister LouEllen "Tootie" Graalfs of Council Bluffs, and her sisters-in-law Wanda Leaders of Council Bluffs and Ardythe Leaders of Dunlap. Gladys is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.


Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 2:00 PM at St Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland. An open visitation will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Friday starting at 1:00 PM. The family will be present to greet friends at the church from 5-7 PM. Interment will be at Oaklawn Cemetery. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is in charge of arrangements.