Gladys H. Hokanson

Gladys H. Hokanson, 96 year old resident of Little Falls, MN passed away Saturday, August 22, 2015 at the Little Falls Care Center. (August 22 was the anniversary of her mother’s birth). Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at First Lutheran Church in Little Falls, MN with Rev. Hank French officiating. Burial will take place at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Little Elk Twp. Todd County, MN. A visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M. on Friday at the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls, MN and one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Gladys H. Hokanson was born April 15, 1919 in Little Elk Township, Todd County, MN at her grandparents’ home. She was the second child of Carl and Pearl (Brastad) Sharon. Gladys grew up on her parents’ farm in Parker Township, Morrison County, MN. Gladys attended a small country school through eighth grade and graduated from Little Falls High School in 1937. While attending high school she boarded with various people because there was no bus to take her to Little Falls. She would work for her board and room and her father would pick her up and bring her home on the weekends. After graduating she worked for a short time in Minneapolis while living with her Aunt Lil and Uncle Bert Reimer. She didn’t like the city, so she returned to her parents’ farm and worked for various neighbors as a hired girl. During her childhood a Sunday School was started and met in peoples’ homes or in the school house in Little Elk Township. Church services were held there too when they could get a pastor to come from Little Falls. Later a new church was built across the road. Listening to the radio at her parents’ home was something the whole family enjoyed and also some of the neighbor boys. Singing was a favorite pastime for the youth of the area and many times they would walk to choir practice. When her little sister Ardell started to play piano, Gladys, her sister Ellen, and her brother Bud would sing together. For most of her life Gladys enjoyed singing and listening to music. She sang with her sister Ellen at many weddings, anniversaries, and funerals. In the last eight years she was not able to enjoy any music because of hearing difficulties. After her stroke on May 22, something changed and she was able to enjoy singing and listening to music again. When told that the stroke paralyzed her left side but she was now able to enjoy music, she said, “It wasn’t much of a trade-off.” Still, she sang many songs together with family and with others who visited her. She was thrilled when two nephews and a niece brought instruments to her room and played music and sang with her. Across the river and up a hill from her childhood home lived the Hokanson family and one boy caught her eye. From the time she was 18 they were together and at age 21 she and Reuben were married in the little country church on Oct 12, 1940. After spending their first 1 ½ years of marriage on her inlaws’ farm they bought property adjoining it and farmed there until they moved to Little Falls in 1979. Reuben and Gladys celebrated 69 years of marriage together before Reuben's death in 2009. There wasn’t anything Gladys couldn’t do on the farm. She helped morning and night milking cows, then did things in the house, in the garden, or in the fields if she was needed. In her "spare" time she liked to read, knit, crochet, quilt, sew, embroider, write poetry, pick berries and help other people. After retiring she traveled a lot with Reuben. She was so happy to be able to go to Europe, to Hawaii, and to Alaska. She loved to do crossword puzzles even while she was in the Care Center. And, don’t even mention playing Scrabble!!! She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Little Elk Township and continued her membership there when the congregation moved to Browerville. When she moved to Little Falls she was a member of First Lutheran Church. She enjoyed the various activities of the church and the church members and served in many different capacities in both churches. After Reuben passed away she moved to Bridgeway Estates where she found new and old friends. It became home to her and there was always a candy dish outside her door which needed replenishing quite often! Gladys is survived by her sons, Harlen (Sue) Hokanson of Browerville, MN, Darryl Hokanson of Urbana, IA and Wes (Darla) Hokanson of Lisbon, IA; and a daughter, Ardyce (Lorence) Eckblad of Cushing, MN. Grandchildren, Kristi (Jim), Heidi (Mike), Carl (Natalie), Gretchen (Jim), Erik (Melissa), Owen (Lisa), Kyle (Hannah) and Britt. Great-grandchildren, Luke, Dani, Jack, Andrew, Emmett, Lincoln, Ella, Tyler, Madison, Lauren, and Soren and one great-great grandson, Brayden; sister, Ardell Solem; sister-in-law, Lorraine Sharon; many nieces, nephews; and special friend, Victor Olson and his family. Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Reuben;, grandson, Craig Eckblad; daughter-in-law, Kay Hokanson; sister, Ellen Johnson; and brother, Bud Sharon. Pallbearers will be Gladys’s grandchildren.

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Gladys H. Hokanson

April 15, 1919 - August 22, 2015