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 Gladys Thelma Backen Cunningham was a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, but, first and foremost, she was a homemaker. No one would ever accuse Gladys of having an easy life. She was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota by immigrant parents, one of nine children, in humble circumstances, where hard work was expected. As class valedictorian, she gave her small scholarship to a close friend. She continued to learn throughout her life. She dreamed of far away places and, still in her teens, set out with a girlfriend to see the world. While working in Wyoming, she met and married a handsome cowboy, Walter Cunningham. They were together for 58 years, until his death in 1989. Mama, as she was lovingly called, survived the great depression in Crestion, Iowa and Joliet, Illinois. It was a time of wash boards, lye soap, outside plumbing and hand me down clothes. Life became somewhat easier in 1939 when the family moved to California - the land of milk and honey. She was mother to five children and raised them much of the time on her own when her husband was working away from home. She was the glue that held the family together and always sacrificed for her children. The family purchased a home in 1950, where Mama lived for 50 years. She never gave up the practice of doing her laundry using a wringer washing machine and hanging the clothes outside on a clothesline. She could sew and cook and clean better than anyone else. Mama was a wisp of a woman - petite and thin - but very strong. She could do things others in the neighborhood would not try. Taking classes in carpentry brought her the joy of building desks and dressers and chests. She could roof a house, do electrical repair and, at 86, she requested a metal stepladder for her birthday because they lasted longer. Mama didn't believe broken things had to be thrown away and they rarely were. She instilled in her children a curious nature and encouraged scholarship in her children and grandchildren, impressing upon them all that they could rise above their circumstances. Integrity, commitment to family and character were her trademarks. At the age of 38, she learned to ride a bicycle - her principal transportation for several years; at 50, she learned to swim; at 81, she put on cross-country skis at a family Christmas outing at Lake Tahoe. Gladys walked or took the bus wherever she needed to go and blamed her husband for not teaching her to drive. The rest of the family was relieved. She never forgot her Norwegion heritage, and spoke the language throughout her life. When her family thinks of their Mama, they think of her working or engaged with children and sipping her coffee, Norwegian style (dipping a sugar cube into it). Mama liked her sweets and was a wonderful baker. Gladys enjoyed meaningful poetry and literature. Until the last years of her life, she was concerned with politics and kept up with what was going on in the world. For nearly 40 years, her home was the local polling place for elections. She knew the great sadness of two children preceeding her in death, but also knew the joy of raising her children and helping with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She believed in God and in living a virtuous life. Her sweet personality and gentle, caring nature is a cherished part of the legacy she leaves behind. Today she takes with her, the love and gratitude for all that she instilled in her family, as well as their admiration for all she has accomplished and will accomplish through each of them. Gladys entered this life on August 24, 1910 and entered eternal life on August 8, 2003. Her loving family and cherished friends honored her with a tender celebration of her life on Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 2:00 PM in the Mausoleum Chapel at Woodlawn Cemetery, in Santa Monica, after which she was laid to rest next to her beloved husband of 58 years, Walter. "Upon the silent shore of memory, -Wordsworth You are my biggest inspiration, next to my Dad... Versal, of course. You will always live on in my heart, in my thoughts, in my teachings, and in my prayers!! You live on!!! You are everywhere I go, everything I do. All of 'My' accomplishments are all inspired by you You are so very much loved... by so many still here on earth. I will always... "Remember Mama". I have learned, so very much of, who I am from You, and your teachings to your children. I was always listening!!! I am still listening to you. You are here with me now. You are in my morning prayers and in my evening prayers, too!!!! You are in the sky above and you are looking down upon us all.... now. You are where you belong now in heaven with all of our relations/ancestors who have gone before you. They are all there with you now!! I will join you there one day too, soon!! All of my Love to you forever and ever..... always in my heart....I love you aunt Gladys. "little" Kathi (Kathryn Schuler) Voight The Winds Of Time I am but a leaf riding on the winds of time, slowly I move as the winds begin to blow, my body twisting and turning as I ride the wind currents along lifes way. As the winds slowly cease to blow, I fall softly to the earth only to lay for a while and rest for a spell, for I know the winds will blow again and my body will take flight. I will rise above the troubled earth as I move along lives path, I will soar high above again and look down on my past. As I venture into the future winds of time I will not be afraid for I go home now to enjoy a new beginning. Oh how many times have the winds been here before, I feel that their presence have touched, Oh so many and will continue to be a guiding path. Their currents stream across our land cleansing our souls. Oh but a leaf I am blowing on the winds of time. In Loving Memory of my Aunt Gladys Larry Hobson |
