Gladys M. Holtz, 81, of Kiester, died Friday, April 11, 2008, at the Good Samaritan Center in Albert Lea.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells.

The Rev. Dick Steffen will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Rice Lake Cemetery, Foster Township, Faribault County.

Gladys M. Holtz was born Aug. 1, 1926, the daughter of John and Martha (Johnson) Simonson in Eden Township, Winnebago County, Iowa. She attended school in Kiester. On Aug. 8, 1944, she married Harold Holtz. They owned and operated Harold&8217;s Tavern in Kiester during 1953. They later owned a well-drilling business. Gladys worked many years for her sister Joy at the Home Caf/ and at Fleetguard in Lake Mills, Iowa. She was a member of Our Savior&8217;s Lutheran Church in Kiester and a member of the American Legion Post 56 Auxiliary. Gladys enjoyed reading, crocheting, gardening and watching the Minnesota Vikings. Her grandchildren were very special to her.

Gladys is survived by her five children: Sandra (Dean) Bendickson of Alden, Lyle (Karen) Holtz of Kiester, Rick Holtz (special friend Peggy Hodson) of Joyce, Iowa, Michael Holtz of Kiester, and Cynthia (Robert) Mathiason of Alden; eight grandchildren: Eric Holtz of Red Wing, Chad (Kara) Bendickson of Alden, Terry (Kay) Bendickson of Albert Lea, JoDell Bendickson of Lakeville, Kendra and Krista Mathiason of Alden, and Meghan and Danielle Holtz of Walters; four great-grandchildren: Kaleb and Kaetlin Bendickson of Alden, Alexander Bendickson of Albert Lea and Grace Bendickson of Lakeville; three step great-grandchildren: Brice, Braydon and Gerritt; sister: Gesina Brueggeman of Wykoff; two sisters-in-law: Betty (Jim) Otteson of Sunray, Texas, and Margaret Simonson of Kiester; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harold in June 2004; her parents; her mother and father-in-law; brothers Bert, Nels, James, Lawrence, Elmer and Irvin Simonson; sisters Karen Erickson and Joy Savick; and infant twin granddaughters in 1966.