Gladys was born on the family farm outside Florence, SD, in 1921 to Christian and Hilda (Chilson) Ohnstad. She married Donald J. Bates in 1947. Together they raised their three daughters in Sioux Falls. Gladys devoted her life to being wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her family. She was a gentle-hearted, humble woman whose life was filled to overflowing with her love and devotion to her faith and her family.
Gladys Ohnstad Bates of Sioux Falls died October 26, 2018, at Sturgis Regional Senior Care.
She is survived by her daughters, Marilyn Bates of Sturgis; Barbara and Dennis Erickson of Parker, SD; and Susan and Romas Bubelis of Toronto, Canada. She is also survived by two grandsons and their families: JD, Carly, and Leif Erickson, Jim, Anne, and Theron Erickson, all of Kansas City, Missouri; and two granddaughters: Caitlin Patterson and her husband Adam Borzecki; and Stefania Bubelis, all of Toronto, Canada.
Gladys was preceded in death by her husband Don and an infant daughter.
Burial will be at a later date in Trent, SD, where she will join Don and their infant daughter.