Gladys B. Holthe, 94, of Zumbrota died on Monday, March 27, 2017, at Zumbrota Health Service Center. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Stordahl Lutheran Church. The Rev. Kathleen Lowery will officiate. The visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Arrangements were made with Mahn Family Funeral Home – Larson Chapel.

Gladys Berdella Swain was born April 30, 1922, to Olavus and Emma (Sundre) Swain in Roscoe Township on her parents’ farm. She graduated from Zumbrota High School in 1940. She spent one year in Los Angeles working for a family and later working in Rochester at Libby’s office before worked at the AAA office.

Gladys married Obert Holthe on Sept. 20, 1947, at United Lutheran Church in Zumbrota. He preceded her in death in 1995 after 48 years of marriage. Gladys was employed by the Pine Island School District as an elementary school secretary for 23 years, retiring in 1984. Gladys lived in Pine Island for 53 years before moving to Bridges Apartments in Zumbrota on Nov. 1, 2000, and spent the last three years in the Zumbrota Care Center.

Gladys was a member of the Pine Island Auxiliary, Pine Ears Singing Group, Pine Island Senior Citizens and Zumbrota Healthcare Auxiliary. She was also a volunteer at Zumbrota Nursing Home and a member of Stordahl Lutheran Church.

Gladys loved music and could play the piano by ear. She would play songs and her family would sing along with her. She loved chocolate and had to have some every day. She also loved doughnuts and rolls. All those sweets must have contributed to her longevity.

When they were younger, Gladys and Obert liked to dance and attended many parades. Gladys loved to be around people and always had a smile on her face. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and was always there for her family. She will be greatly missed.

Gladys is survived by her daughter, Jeanne (Dave) Lundak, of Albert Lea; grandchildren Sheila (Bryan) Calderon of Albert Lea, David Gross of Des Moines, Iowa, Maegen (Travis) Honsey of Sacred Heart and Derek Berge of Montevideo; great-grandchildren Axel and Aidric Calderon and Haeden and Cynthia Honsey; and son-in-law, Robert Berge, of Montevideo.

Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, Obert; daughter, Cynthia Berge; son-in-law, Don Gross; sisters Clarice Swain and Ethel Zimmerman; and brothers, Evan and Alonzo Swain.