Gladys L. DeVaney, 95, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Center. Her Funeral Service will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at the First Baptist Church, Dell Rapids. Interment will be in the Dell Rapids Cemetery. Visitation on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 will begin at 2:00 p.m. with the family present at 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A Prayer Service will begin at 7:00 p.m. Condolences may be left at http://www.kahlerfh.com.
Gladys Lillian Sorenson was born on September 6, 1919 at Dell Rapids, SD, the daughter of Jens and Linda Sorenson. At the age of 4 years old, her father died and in 1926, Louis Flamo married Linda Sorenson and he became her caring and doting stepfather.
Gladys attended Dells Public School and graduated in 1937. She attended and graduated from Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis, MN in 1942. She married Welford DeVaney on November 19, 1943. Their loving marriage would last 36 years before Welford’s death in 1979. Gladys was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church where she held many offices including Church Clerk for 16 years, President of ABW, both locally and Center Association, Christian Education Secretary, Diaconate, Release Time Teacher and taught Sunday School for many years.
God blessed Gladys with gifted hands-her crocheted doilies and afghans were made with much love and tender care and given to those who she loved in life. Her quilts were a work of art. She was a professional cake decorator, making anniversary cakes, wedding cakes and birthday cakes for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces and for many people in the community. Her cakes were not only beautiful but ever better to taste. Her hands also wrote poems throughout her life, often about her family. Her poems helped her to work through her grieve of her beloved husband’s death. She also wrote poems by sharing her wisdom and advice to her children and grandchildren.
Gladys broke her hip in July of 2014.
Those left to cherish her memory are her two daughters, Linda Nickles of Yankton, SD and Marla (Bill) Hassler of Sioux Falls, SD; her two grandsons who were the light of her life, Paul (Theresa) Nickles of Lee’s Summit, MO, and Joe (Robin) Nickles of Cummings, GA, her seven beautiful great-grandchildren, Joey Nickles, Brianna Nickles, Haley Nickles, Hannah Nickles, Molly Nickles, Rachel Nickles and Jacob Nickles; her sister, Elizabeth Werner of Mesa, AZ; sister-in-law, Lois Williamson of Dell Rapids and many nieces, nephews and a dear friend, Dianne Crisp of Dell Rapids.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Welford, and siblings, Rudolph Williamson, Harold Williamson, Ruth Williamson, Robert Williamson and Ralph Williamson.
