Gladys Mead

Gladys Viola (Vickery) Mead, age 97, passed away on December 22, 2016 at Masonic Pathways. Gladys was born on July 25, 1919 in Muskegon, Michigan to Leland and Florence Vickery. The family later moved to a small farm in western Michigan where they lived through the Great Depression, an experience that provided many interesting anecdotes to be passed on to her children in later years; one of those being the effort it required to obtain an education, walking, then hitchhiking every day to Holland High School.

After graduation, she moved to Lansing, where she met and married Clare Franklin Mead. While he entered the Army to serve in WWII, she worked at a defense plant until his return, when they ultimately settled in Saint Louis to raise their three children. For several years she worked at Masonic Pathways where she would spend the last five years of her life.

She was an active member of the St. Louis Church of God, a student of the Bible, and very involved in Missionary Society.  If the doors were open she was there. The church bazaars provided an outlet for her love of baking, the pineapple tea ring being a favorite.

She marveled at the beauty in nature and instilled that awe in her children. The highlight of her travel adventures was a trip to the Netherlands, her maternal family’s country of origin. An avid sports fan, on Saturday afternoons she could be found watching college football or NASCAR in fall and winter, and gardening in spring and summer.

Somewhere along the way, she acquired the nickname “Skip” from her husband, Clare and “Aunt Skippy” to her nieces and nephews. While much of what made her special was lost to dementia, “Skip” still had the occasional humorous remark, or gleam in her eye when offered a cookie.

She was preceded in death by husband Clare Mead, brothers; Walter Vickery, Nathan Vickery, Ivan Vickery, and sister Eunice McCarthy. She is survived by her three children Randall (Carol) Mead, St. Louis, MI, Connie (Chuck) Anasis, Orlando, FL, Nanette (Bill) Price, Los Angeles, CA, sister-in-law Beverly Vickery, Grand Rapids, MI, 6 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, 117 North East Street, St. Louis, MI, with Pastor Terri Bentley officiating.  Visitation will be held from 12:00 noon until the time of the service at the funeral home.  Burial will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery, St. Louis, MI.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Youth Haven Ranch, P.O. Box 97, Rives Junction, Michigan 49277, or Masonic Pathways Charitable Foundation, Masonic Pathways, 1200 Wright Avenue, Alma, MI 48801.  Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com.  The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, Michigan.