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IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Gladys
Balde
November 30, 1927 – September 17, 2023
Obituary
Gladys Balde, 95, beloved mother, wife, grandma, great-grandma, mother-in-law and friend, went home to Jesus on Sept. 17, 2023. She passed away in Racine, Wisconsin, with her children by her side. Her resilience, tenderness and steadfast faith in God will forever be cemented in the lives of her loved ones.
Gladys was born in 1927 in Oak Creek to Frederick Flancher III and Helen Reinke Flancher as the youngest of 10 children. Growing up in a large rural family during the depression era, Gladys learned early on the importance of hard work and a family's love. She and her siblings cared for each other, and even in hard times, their imaginations led them on great adventures. As a child, Gladys proved to be innovative, resourceful, and incredibly compassionate. When a rooster chased her to and from the family outhouse, she learned how to carefully pick him up using a pitchfork so he wouldn't be hurt and wouldn't chase her.
On Jan. 24, 1948, Gladys married Otto Balde. They were married for 57 years until Otto's passing in 2005. She joined Otto in the real estate business, proudly earning her broker's license. She also worked at Hamilton Beach the first few years of married life until her first child was born, then she stayed home to raise both of her children, and in 1980 began working at Surgitek, retiring in 1990.
The most important job to Gladys was raising and nurturing her children, Penny and Dave. In her final days, Gladys said having kids was her greatest accomplishment. She taught her children -- and by extension her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – honesty, common sense, empathy and to have a good heart. She was so proud of her family.
Gladys was active in Penny and Dave's schooling and religious education, always first to volunteer for room mother duties, the PTA, Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. She served on her church's altar guild for 20 years and baked or contributed to all the events.
Nature and camping within God's creation were important parts of Gladys' life. Every summer, the family took summer fishing vacations in Wisconsin, where they made memories catching painted turtles, exploring lakes, picking blackberries, and cooking campfire pies.
Gladys loved arts and crafts. She designed incredible projects to make alongside her grandchildren, from Thanksgiving vests to Easter egg trees. She also sewed beautiful clothing. Every year she made Penny a lace-trimmed flannel nightgown with a doll-size one to match. The light-up ceramic Christmas tree Gladys made still gets set up every holiday.
Grandma Gladys' house was a destination for full-size candy bars, Kringle and delectable baked goods, the best ones snuck to excited great-grandchildren as special treats. She loved spoiling her grandkids and she prided herself on fairness. What one got, the others did too – always. She created many memories of vacations, flower-picking, jewelry dress-up and sitting in the breezeway. All her grandchildren are forever grateful for her knödels at Thanksgiving.
Rummage-sale scouting was a science for Gladys. Pre-computers, she highlighted the best ones in the paper and mapped out the most efficient route for maximum great deals. Her haggling skills could not be beat, at rummages or while insisting on paying the lunch bill. Later in life, Gladys was known as the bingo queen at Parkview Gardens. She never missed a game and requested the group play every day instead of twice a week. All her life Gladys adored animals, especially her companion cat, Sassy, who was like her "child" after Otto passed away.
Gladys' daily prayers for us helped power our lives. Though she told us not to be sad, we are heartbroken, and she is sorely missed.
Gladys is survived by loving family members, including her children Penny (Jeff) Timm and Dave (Robin) Balde; her grandchildren Brian (Jen) Granetzke, Craig (Laura) Granetzke, Lisa (Jim) Vanaria, and Amanda (Richard) Sipin; and eight great-grandchildren.
Gladys' family would like to express their gratitude and sincere thanks to Dr. Paul Durbin for his compassionate care and sincere concern for Gladys over the years, Dr. Michael Ansani of Ascension Hospital, the dear nurses at Siena on the Lakeshore and Compassus hospice, and Rev. Grabenhofer of Faith Lutheran Church for his exemplary spiritual guidance to Gladys and her family . Also much appreciation to Gladys' special friend, Sue Myers.
A funeral service for Gladys will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 11 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 8500 Durand Ave. in Sturtevant. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the memorial service at the church. Private interment will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Faith Lutheran Church have been suggested.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gladys Balde, please visit our flower store.
Services
Visitation
September
28
Faith Lutheran Church
10:00 - 11:00 am
Funeral Service
September
28
Faith Lutheran Church
Starts at 11:00 am
Interment
Gladys Balde's Guestbook
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