Gladys May Thornburgh Knapp, daughter of Stelva and Edith Clara Miller Little, was born August 28, 1913 in Rippey, Iowa, and died November 28, 2006 at the Eastern Star Home in Boone, Iowa at the age of 93 years and 3 months.
Services were held at 10:00 a. m. Saturday December 2, 2006 at Hastings Funeral Home in Perry. Interment followed at Rippey Cemetery in Rippey.
Gladys graduated from Rippey High School in 1931. She married Edwin Thornburgh in 1932 and they were parents of two children: Elwin and Sandra. In 1945 they started their business, Thornburgh Cafe in Rippey which Gladys operated. After Edwin’s death in 1971, Gladys continued with the business until selling in 1972. Gladys’ cooking was superb and her roast beef, pork, gravy and pies were famous. Memories abound about the Cafe, the social hub of Rippey. It was a popular spot after school and many kids had charge accounts there!
Gladys married Homer Knapp in 1972. They lived in Rippey until moving to Ogden. Homer died in 1983 and Gladys remained in Ogden until 1999 when she entered the Eastern Star Home in Boone.
Gladys was a member of the Rippey United Methodist Church and later the Community United Methodist Church in Ogden. She had been a faithful member of the Rebekah Lodge and Order of Eastern Star in Rippey. During her years in Ogden she was a willing volunteer for the McGraw Senior Citizen Center. Gladys enjoyed playing cards and bus trips.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Edwin “Squeak” in 1971; husband Homer in 1983; her son Elwin in 1996; a brother Bud and 5 sisters, Vanetta; Vivian; Rena; Evelyn; and Laura Jean.
Gladys is survived by her daughter Sandra Huit and husband Larry of Casa Grande, Arizona; daughter-in-law Carol Thornburgh McGinnis of Boise, Idaho; six grandchildren: Bruce Thornburgh of Pocatello, Idaho; Craig Thornburgh and wife Jennifer of Portland, Oregon; Elaine Thornburgh of Boise, Idaho; Kathy Huitt Benoit and husband Richard of East Grand Rapids, Michigan; Kristy Wescott of Strasburg, Colorado; and Keith Huitt and wife Terry of Broomfield, Colorado. She is also survived by 8 great-grandchildren: Ryan and Katie Thornburgh; Elizabeth and Alix Benoit; Private First Class Jacob Wescott; Christopher, Steven, and Sarah Huitt; other relatives and many friends.
Hastings Funeral Home in Perry was in charge of arrangements.