Gladys Heldenbrand ~ ~ ~ 1923-1983

© The Ponca City News

Monday, March 28, 1983

Submitted by: Shirley Harlan

Gladys Marie Heldenbrand, No. 7 Hillside, Bois d'Arc, died Saturday evening in Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City. She was 59.

Born Dec. 24, 1923 at LaRose, Ill., she was the daughter of Siegmund and Emilie Thies. She and Roy J. Heldenbrand were married Sept. 28, 1947 in Newkirk and made their home in Blackwell for five years before coming to Ponca City in 1952. In 1959 they moved into their present home in rural Ponca City.

Mrs. Heldenbrand had worked in various bookkeeping positions through the years, and for the past five years was self-employed as a dressmaker and alteration seamstress. She enjoyed several hobbies including fishing, gardening, food preservation and needlework, and she and her husband were members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and Goldwin Road Riders Association.

Mrs. Heldenbrand was an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, and took part in the first training class of Hospice of Ponca City.

Surviving are her husband of the home; a son, Ronald Heldenbrand of Dubai, Saudi Arabia; three daughters, Dianne Cary of Bartlesville, Caroline (Connie) Robertson of the home, and Debra R. Lundeen of 1604 East Woodlands, eight grandchildren, three brothers, Frederick W. Thies of Olympia, Wash., Zeke Thies of Aurora, Colo., and Walter Thies of Greenboro, N.C.; and two sisters, Paula D. Mawhiney of Imperial Beach, Calif., and Heidi E. Kasten of Los Angeles. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother and one sister.

Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday in Prince of Peace Luthern Church (Asbury UMC) with pastor Bruce E. Zellmer officiating. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park under direction of E.M. Trout and Sons Funeral Directors.

Casketbearers will be Jack Box, David Higley, Stanley Hinshaw, Phil Hinton, Ernest Kissman and Clayton Gillock. Honorary bearers will be Erick Barnes, Katrina Berkland, Emily Breedlove, Greg Jones, Jeannine Clapsaddle, Eric Palmer, Teresa Clapsaddle, Lisa Berkland, Amy Gillock, Kelly Kegler and Lori Page, all members of her confirmation class.

The body will lie in state at the Trout chapel until 11:30 Tuesday morning. The family will be at the home in Bois d'Arc.

A memorial fund has been established with Hospice of Ponca City Inc., and contributions may be made in Mrs. Heldenbrand's name directly to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Hospice Fund, P.O. Box 2525, Ponca City 74602