Jan. 12, 1923 - June 1, 2008
Gladys was called home to the Lord on Sunday, June 1, 2008. Glady was born January 12, 1923 in Youngstown, Alberta as the youngest of five children, and the only one born in Canada. The family resettled to Sydney, Vancouver Island, where she helped her father in his shoemaker shop, the last of the longest continuous family of shoemakers from England, and was active as a troop leader in the Girl Guides. She held may different jobs to get by during the Depression and World War II; baking pies for the local nursing home and restaurants for a dollar a piece; made and delivered meals for the elderly who couldn’t do for themselves; hung wallpaper in an apartment building renovation; helped her father install wood flooring at night in the military barracks. In 1944, at age 21, she eloped with her first husband, Charles Eckert, a commercial fisherman. During their marriage she helped him many times on his fishing boat, mending nets and even taking over the fishing duties, on her own, when Charles had a badly injured hand and couldn’t work, bringing in the largest hauls of all the other fishermen. She also spent a few years working in the cannery while Charles was fishing. They welcomed their son in 1949 and a couple years later took in his cousin to raise as their own. Glady was always the one the neighbors and family turned to for help and advice, and she always gave of herself in any way she could, whether it was financial guidance, legal or medical advice, help with pets and livestock, or just to offer a prayer, support and comfort. When her husband passed away in 1955, and with two boys to raise, she got a job as a cook during the summer season and continued to do odd jobs for people to make ends meet. She later became the chef at the Brentwood and was courted by many high level restaurants to come work for them. In 1966 she married Lee King, also a fisherman, and settled in Ganges on Salt Spring Island. They ran a small hobby farm, raising a couple cows, chickens and geese, and a couple pigs named Lum and Abner who use to follow Glady around like pet dogs, holding her hand in their mouth as they walked, and even took in an orphaned fawn who cuddled up and slept with their dog Duffy. In 1983 Glady and Lee retired and moved to the 108 Ranch to be closer to family. They became very involved in the building of the 108 Community Hall and St. Timothy’s Church and when Lee died in 1993, Glady made a considerable donation to the church and paid off the mortgage. She then moved to Rycroft, Alberta for a few years, returning to 100 Mile House in 1997 to be close to her son and his family. Glady was well known for her gentle, loving and giving ways, her deep devotion to her family, her gift of storytelling, her abundant sense of humour and positive outlook, her strong and steady support of all who needed her, and her immensely accurate talent for reading tea leaves. Glady was predeceased by her parents William and Kate Green, an infant brother Albert, her brothers William and Richard, her sister Pearl, and her husbands Charles Marlan Pearl Eckert and Clarence Leon King. She is survived and dearly missed by her son Charles Patrick Foster Eckert (Patty), grandchildren Naomi Ziona Margaret Eckert of Victoria, Justin Allen Vineberg of Melbourne, Australia, Kristen Deanne Caruso and Erin Dablain Caruso of Connecticut, and great grandson Xavier Samuel Cruz of Connecticut; her nephews Dick (Marg), Andy (Lillian), Harold (Doris), Bill (Rita) all of Calgary, Alberta, and Arnold (Natalie), of Rycroft, Alberta; and many more nieces, nephews and family members and dear friends. Glady will be dearly missed and never forgotten. A word of thanks to all the caretakers at Fischer Place who have shown such loving compassionate care for Glady during the past year. Services will be held Thursday, June 5 at 2:30p.m., at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church, Blackstock Road, 100 Mile House.
Say not in grief ‘she is no more’
but live in thankfulness that she was.
Condolences can be sent to the family at www.100milefuneralservice.com
100 Mile Funeral Service Ltd. entrusted with the arrangements. 395-3243