Gladys May (Yonke) Moritz

Funeral services for Gladys May Moritz, 94, of Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 12, 2018, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Jacquie Samway, PMA, will officiate. Burial will be in the New Lutheran Cemetery in Norfolk. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday at the Home for Funerals.

Mrs. Moritz passed away on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation and Care Center in Norfolk.

Gladys born on April 18, 1923, in Crofton, NE, the daughter of William and Pearl (Paulsen) Yonke. She attended her first ten grades at Frankfort School, northwest of Crofton, and graduated from Hartington High School in 1941. She then attended Business Collage in Sioux City, Iowa. When World War II was declared, she went to work as the men were leaving for the service. Gladys worked a Cudahy Packing Company, in Sioux City, for 5 years in the IBM Department.

On August 18, 1946, Gladys married Gordon A. Moritz. They lived in Rapid City for 3 years where Gordon was employed by Northwestern Bell Telephone. In 1949, he transferred to Norfolk where they lived the rest of their lives. Gladys and Gordon spent his last three years at St. Joseph’s Care Center and Gladys lived at Skyview Villa for little over six years.

Gladys was a very active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where she taught confirmations classes for many years and was in charge of the Cradle Roll for 50 years. She was a past Girl Scout Leader and past Neighborhood Chairman for the Girl Scouts.

Her special time was having the grandchildren come and stay with she and Gordon. She taught them how to make “Grandma rolls”. Another highlight was camping with her family.

Gladys is survived by her two daughters, Patricia Nielsen, of McCook, NE; and Cynthia McKusick, of Middletown, PA; 6 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, Rachel (Wayland) Hudgins and Derek and Damon, of Midlothian, VA; Joshua (Micalagh) Moritz and Hudson and Cordelia, of Harrisburg, PA; Matthew (Angie) Nielsen and Isaac and Abigail, of McCook, NE; Nathan Nielsen and Alex and Aaron, of McCook, NE; Michaelia (Travis) Reeves and Elijah and Benjamin, of Waverly, NY; and William (Judy) McKusick and Siarah, Adalynn and Alyssa, of Wellsburg, NY; Also surviving Gladys are her brother Jim Yonke and his wife Judy, of Kearney, MO, and sister-in-laws Ruth Uecker, of Norfolk and Adeline Yonke Zeeb, of Yankton, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Pearl Yonke, her husband, Gordon; three brothers, Jack Yonke and his wife, Shirley, Melvin Yonke, Ervin Yonke and his wife, Gen, and son-in-law, Dr. Gary Nielsen.

Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church, the Madison County Museum or Skyview Villa.

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