GLADYS MASSEY BERGSTROM

Gladys Bergstrom passed away peacefully after a brief illness, with her adoring family beside her, on March 5, 2013, at the Evergreen Hospice Center in Kirkland, Washington.  Born on June 14, 1922, in Austin, Texas, to parents Reuben Massey and Laura Votaw Massey, Gladys was one of four children.  She graduated from Austin High School in 1940 and married Marvin Bergstrom in 1942.  They lived in San Antonio during Marvin’s military service, but she spent the great majority of her life in Austin.  Gladys worked with Civil Service in San Antonio during World War II and in Austin at the gas company, the State Board of Control, and for many years as a licensing supervisor for the State Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners.  During retirement, she volunteered with Meals on Wheels, helped provide birthday celebrations for residents of a South Austin nursing home, baked for church bazaars, attended Bible Study Fellowship, cared for aging family members, ate out regularly with friends, painted in oils and traveled to visit family and friends.  Gladys was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for 54 years.  In 2007, Gladys and Marvin moved to the Seattle area to live with their only child and her husband.

Godly, spunky, strong, loving, generous, loyal, stubborn, practical, fun-loving, family-oriented:  these are some adjectives that describe Gladys.  Some of her favorite things included spending time with her beloved family, shopping with her daughter, Austin, her church, chocolate, crossword puzzles, crocheting, Christmas, hummingbirds, Teddy Grahams, doing puzzles with her great-grandson, playing princesses with her great-granddaughter, baking, fishing, scarves, watching television, and her weekly phone conversations with her dear friend Jean once Gladys moved to Washington.  During her 90 years, she was a fiercely devoted daughter, sister, wife, aunt, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.  She adored her grandchildren and maintained a very close relationship with them, despite living far away.  Her daughter and son-in-law are so blessed to have shared Gladys’ last years on a daily basis; her death creates an enormous void in their home.  A life well-lived is a life remembered in love; such was the life of Gladys Bergstrom.

Gladys was preceded in death by her sisters Opale and Lillie, her brother Roy, infant brother Willie, and husband Marvin.  Her survivors include daughter Neverlyn Lingerfelt and son-in-law Mike of Bellevue, Washington; grandson Joshua and his wife Rachael of Duvall, Washington; granddaughter Hayden and her husband Sean Munger of Minneapolis; great-grandchildren Sam and Lucy Lingerfelt, a few cousins, and some nieces and nephews.

The family thanks the compassionate nurses at Evergreen Healthcare and Evergreen Hospice.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1711 East Oltorf Street, Austin, Texas 78741; Evergreen Hospice, 12822 124^th Lane NE, Kirkland, Washington 98034; or Evergreen Healthcare (the hospital), 12040 NE 128^th St., Kirkland, Washington 98034.  Also, the family deeply appreciates the gracious offer by Jim and Susie Vankruiningen to place flowers on Gladys’ grave, as they have been doing for Marvin’s for the last four years.

A graveside service to celebrate Gladys’ life will be held on March 13, at 1:30 p.m., at Cook-Walden Capital Parks, 14501 North IH 35, Pflugerville, Texas.   At Gladys’ request, there is no visitation.