Gladys Marker, 84, of Britt, passed away Saturday, April 17, 2004, at Westview
Care Center in Britt.
Gladys Elnora Draves was born on November 6, 1919, at Waltham, Minnesota. The
daughter of Edward and Emma (Jorges) Draves, she attended country schools and
graduated from Dows, Iowa, High School. She was united in marriage to Carl
Marker, on February 19, 1939, in Hampton, Iowa the start of a union of 64 years.
They farmed in the Dows-Galt, Iowa area until moving to a farm north of Britt in
1948. She was a farm wife and homemaker as well as being employed as a
seamstress at Stitchcraft Corporation of Forest City, Iowa, and as school cook
for Woden-Crystal Lake Schools.
She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Woden, and First Lutheran
Church of Britt upon retirement. She was a member of the Women of the Church,
Bandmothers, PTA, and served as officer and on various committees.
She and Carl were members of the Silver Stars seniors group. She was an
advocate for health and social concerns for seniors. Her work led to her
nomination and receipt of an "Outstanding Senior Citizen Award" from then
Governor Terry Branstad.
She loved cooking, gardening, sewing, camping, and traveling, youth activities,
and was always a welcoming hostess to neighbors, friends and family.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; husband Carl; son Arnold; grandsons
Aaron and Eric Kipp; brothers Arthur, Carl, Clarence, Harry and Anton Draves,
and sister Edna Eccles.
Gladys is survived by her daughter Janet (Greg) Kipp of New Richmond, Wisconsin;
son Douglas of Rochester, Minnesota; daughter-in-law Dorothy Marker of Sauk
Centre, Minnesota. Grandchildren Timothy (Laura) Marker of Jackson, Minnesota;
Thomas (Colleen) Marker of Mason, Illinois; Andrea Jo (Jon) Green of New
Richmond, Wisconsin; and Kathryne Marker of Rochester, Minnesota and
great-grandchildren Emily and John Marker of Jackson, Minnesota and Danielle and
Rebecca Marker of Mason, Illinois. She is also survived by a brother Emil
Draves of Webster City, Iowa and sister Hilda Jury of Ankeny, Iowa and Estella
State of Belmond, Iowa. Also many relatives and friends.