Gladys Irene Wandro

Gladys Irene Wandro was born to Emmet and Hannah (Janssen) Nauman at their home in rural Floyd, Iowa. In 1947, Gladys graduated from Floyd High School where she played on the award-winning girls’ basketball team (18-2) as a forward averaging 14 points per game as they won the Wa-Ce conference and county trophies. Gladys also served as the Floyd County 4-H President and performed in the Floyd High School Theatre troupe. Her family attended the Methodist Church in Floyd. Foregoing college due to postwar availability, she left the farm to work at Bell Telephone in Charles City. During this time she met the love of her life from Cowell, Iowa.

On Oct. 9, 1948, Gladys married Donald Wandro at the Immaculate Conception Church in Charles City. She was a devoted wife and mother of Mike, Karen and Bill. Gladys was an active Charles City community member supporting the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts and the Immaculate Conception Church. In the 1960s and 70s, she worked at the Charles City Sears store as the credit manager. She and Don moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1976 where she worked at American Express as a credit specialist until she retired to Sun City West in 1995. Over the years, Don and Gladys always enjoyed returning to the Midwest, particularly for summer fishing trips to northern Minnesota. Gladys was widowed in 1996. She returned to Iowa in 2016 to reside at Apple Valley in Charles City followed by Colonial Manor in Elma.

Gladys Wandro was a voracious reader, a skilled card player, and an avid gardener. Always quiet and reserved, Gladys would surprise all by occasionally sharing her sage words of wisdom and staunch opinions on current events. She relished sharing countless stories of family history. Always a mediator, Gladys was the glue that held all in her family together.

Gladys is survived by her children, Michael (Linda) Wandro of Coupeville WA, Karen (Hugh) Orcutt of Phoenix, AZ and William (Kathy) Wandro of Iowa City, IA; her grandchildren, Jennifer Wandro of Chicago, IL and Sean (Ashley) Wandro of Iowa City, IA; her great-granddaughter, Cecilia Wandro of Iowa City, IA; her sisters Bernice (dec. Orville) Caspers, Alice (dec. Vic) Klopping, and Ardis Richardson; sisters-in-law LuAnn (dec. Gallus) Wandro (dec. Dave) Hutchins and Sunny (dec. Gale) Wandro; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don; sister Vera Nauman; and four brothers, David (Janet), Emmett Jr. (Gloria), Paul and Lester (dec. Phyllis) Nauman.

Memorial donations are being accepted by the Alzheimer’s Association Tribute page, https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Events/Tributes-AlzheimersChampions

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, in Charles City, is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com.