Gladys Marie Patton

Gladys Marie Patton, 87, of Fullerton died Monday, February 4, 2019 at Clover Lodge Living Center in St. Edward, Nebraska after several years of declining health. Funeral Services will be Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. at Fairview United Methodist Church in Central City with Pastor Lauri Beach officiating. Visitation will be Friday, February 8th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Fullerton Cemetery in Fullerton, NE. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com. Memorials are suggested to Fairview United Methodist Church or the Fullerton Foundation. Gladys was born August 26, 1931 to George and Helen (Obermiller) Spilger, at home in rural Palmer. She attended Gage Valley grade school, a one room school house, and graduated from Palmer High School in 1948. She boarded with a family in Palmer during High School. Gladys attended Kearney State College in the summers and did correspondence courses through the University of Nebraska receiving certification to teach kindergarten through 8th grade. She started teaching at age 16 at county schools near Palmer, St. Paul and Central City, teaching for 6 years. She could outrun the 8th grade boys, who were bigger than her and not that much younger. She would have continued teaching after Tracy was born, but could not find a babysitter. One year she bought a corn picker with her earnings. On May 31, 1953 Gladys married Elmer Patton of rural Fullerton after he returned from serving in Germany during the Korean conflict. They were married at the Palmer Methodist Church, where Gladys was a member, by the Rev Ethel O. McAninch. Rev. McAninch encouraged them to attend church every Sunday and suggested Fairview Methodist Church, a country church near Central City. At Fairview they found a warm church family, lifelong friendships and a personal relationship with Christ. In addition to her role as a busy farm wife and raising 4 children, Gladys was a member of the Flock Together Extension Club, Eagles Auxiliary, Fairview United Methodist church where she continued her teaching gifts as a Sunday School teacher for pre-school students to adults. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren’s many accomplishments, and loved attending their programs, concerts and sporting events. She and Elmer loved to dance and were members of a dance club; they also belonged to several card clubs. Gladys and Elmer traveled, including an extended trip to Brazil, visiting Sonali Greiner and her family, and to Mexico City visiting Fernando Sansores and family, both were exchange students in their home during the 1970’s. In 1982 Gladys survived a serious car accident in which her daughter Jan (Patton) Hanchera died. After a long period of rehabilitation, she was able to walk, drive and again enjoy traveling to Denver to visit her grandchildren, and even taking several international trips. She greatly loved all her grandchildren, especially playing games – she could beat just about everyone at scrabble, and had a couple of them accompany her to the Legion Club for bingo. Up until the end of her life, Gladys was sending birthday and sympathy cards, sometimes it would take her most of the day to work on one card, but she was thinking of others. She wrote a book about Elmer, and was writing some short stories about her life. Having served as an election judge many times, she continued her patriotism by voting in the 2018 election, and was interested in current events. Gladys put a unique touch on all she did, and despite having faced multiple losses, she retained a sense of humor and deep faith. Gladys is survived by her daughter, Tracy (Chris) Chapman of Denver, CO; her sons, Doug (Karrie) Patton of Palmer, and Jerry (Suzanne) Patton of Fullerton; her sister, Sandra (Kirk) Baird of New Haven, CT; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Helen Spilger; her husband, Elmer Patton in 1990; her daughter, Jan in 1982; and her sister, Donna Elliott.

Gladys Marie Patton

August 26, 1931 - February 4, 2019