Gloria Sutton

February 17, 1924 - March 10, 2016

Funeral Services for Gloria Sutton, 92, of Jefferson will be 10:30 am Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson. Visitation with the family will be at 9:30 am Tuesday, 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Jefferson Cemetery, Jefferson, Iowa. Memorials are suggested in Gloria’s name to establish a Greene County Long Term Care Residents Fund and may be left at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home. Gloria Ann Sutton was born on an icy winter day, February 17, 1924 to Jay Stewart and Ruth Seaman Stewart at their country home in Hardin Township, Greene County, Iowa. At age 18 months, Gloria had a double mastoidectomy at Iowa Methodist Hospital. Gloria went to school at Hardin #4 and had the same teacher until completing 8th grade. During those years her biggest challenge was wondering if she would pass the test to be able to go to high school. She did pass, and also graduated from Jefferson High School in 1941. That was followed by one year at Iowa State University. However, romance ruled over education and Gloria married Keith Sutton on January 5, 1943 at the age of 19. She set out on a course of being an Air Force wife. On their honeymoon, they drove to Eagle Pass, Texas where Keith was assigned as an instructor in the aircraft AT-6. While there, Gloria worked in the local bank as a teller. They soon moved again to Liberal, Kansas where Keith instructed on the B-24s and Gloria worked as a clerk in a mobile home park. Next they went to San Antonio, Texas where Keith instructed on the B-29. At last the war was over, and they returned to Greene County to start farming with only a small savings account on which they survived. The highlight of their marriage was the birth of their daughter, Sharon in 1946. Then a few years later was another blessing when Bill was born in 1952. According to Gloria, “Both of them were a joy throughout our lives.” Gloria belonged to the United Methodist Church in Jefferson, and taught 5th grade Sunday School for several years. She was a member of church circle and the card recycling group. She was also a member of the Hardin Friendly Circle. Gloria passed away March 10, 2016 at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Jay and Ruth Stewart, and her husband, Keith. Survivors include children Sharon Warder (John) of Burnsville, MN and William Sutton (Donna) of Jefferson, IA. Grandchildren include Lisa Speese (Gary) of Bloomington, MN, Laurie Brown (Nathan) of Mendocino, CA, Mark Warder (Kelli) of Richfield, MN, Sarah Nazar (Edward) of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Zachary Sutton of Des Moines, IA. Great grandchildren include Caleb, Aaron, and Victoria Sigfrid, Tauren and Tasahra Brown, Julia and Will Warder and Elizabeth Nazar.