Gladys F. Buringa, 90, Austin
Published 12:00 am Monday, March 22, 2004
Funeral services for Gladys F. Buringa will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 24, at the United Methodist Church in Albert Lea The Rev. John Bromeland will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bonnerup Funeral Service. Interment will be held in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, at 2 p.m.
Gladys Florence (Peterson) Buringa, age 90, of Albert Lea, died at St. John’s Lutheran Home on Saturday afternoon, March 20, 2004. Until her recent illness she was a resident of Knutson Place in Albert Lea.
She Was born on May 24, 1913, to J. Spurgeon Peterson and Christena Larsen Peterson in Sargeant, Minn. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to a farm south of Hayfield, Minn. She spent her early years helping her parents run a small truck farm. She attended District 75, Bowman Country School, through the eighth grade and started ninth grade at Hayfield High School. She was a survivor of the tornado that hit Hayfield in the 1920s by hiding in the coats in Meister and Bacon General Store.
In 1928, the Peterson family moved to Austin where Gladys attended Austin High School and graduated with the class of 1932.
Gladys married Dick Buringa on Dec. 30, 1933, in Brownsdale, and made their home in Austin, They had three children: Roger, Judy and Richard. Gladys was a homemaker and also ran a rooming house at 709 Greenwich St.,
and later at 409 S. Main St. in Austin. The people that lived in her home became part of her family and she remained in close contact with them for the rest of her life.
After Dick’s retirement, Gladys and Dick moved to Albert Lea, becoming some of the first residents of the Abbott Apartments. Dick passed away in 1982. Gladys became a resident of Knutson Place in 2001.
Gladys was a dedicated daughter, wife and mother. She cared for her parents in their elder years. She loved her children and was very proud of All of their accomplishments.
Gladys was hands down, the best housekeeper around. She took great pride in her home.
After moving to Albert Lea, She developed a new interest in bowling, belonging for many years to a senior citizens bowling league. After Dick died, she became a driver for many of her friends who could not drive and she enjoyed their many outings of shopping and entertainment. She enjoyed playing cards with her friends. By far, she enjoyed most, the company of her friends and family. While living in Austin, She was a member of the United Methodist Church until she moved to Albert Lea where she joined the United Methodist Church. She was active in the United Methodist Women’s Organization. She also enjoyed her monthly luncheons with her friends of the class of 1932.
Gladys is survived by her three children: son, Roger and his wife Cathy Buringa of Virginia Beach, Va.; daughter, Judy and her husband Don Hubmer of Coon Rapids, Minn., and son, Richard and his wife Perian Buringa of Albert Lea; eight grandchildren: Scott and his wife Kari Hubmer of Sanford. N.C., Duane Buringa, Dean Buringa and Dale Buringa of Virginia Beach, Va., Todd and his wife Tricia Hubmer of Ham Lake, Minn., Dawn and her husband Scott Wolla of Hibbing, and Kate Buringa and John Buringa of Albert Lea; and three great-grandchildren: Kristina Hubmer and Tori Hubmer of Sanford, N.C., and Mycah Wolla of Hibbing. She is also survived by one sister-in-law, Virginia Buringa of Grand Meadow
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; two brothers: Ernest Petersen and Lloyd Peterson; a sister, Violet Peterson; and her cousin and lifelong friend, Agnes Warner.