Obituary - Gladyce Lillian (Johnson) Klette

Gladyce Lillian (Johnson) Klette passed away of natural causes on Oct. 31, 2015, at Missoula Social and Rehabilitation Services Assisted Living.

She was lovingly cared for in her final days by the wonderful staff (especially Noelle, Rose, and Autumn), along with Partnership In Home Care Hospice. It was fitting that her last day was Halloween, her favorite holiday.

Gladyce was born in Havre, Montana, to Theodore and Bertha (Nordsven) Johnson. After growing up on a homestead farm southwest of town, she graduated from Havre High School in 1939, and married Dr. Melvin J. Klette on June 14, 1939.

She moved to Missoula in 2009, to reside with her son, Larry and his family. In 2011, she moved to assisted living, and resided in a number of placements before settling in with her own furniture at Missoula Social and Rehabilitation Services Assisted Living.

Although she spent a few years working at Buttreys Department Store in Havre, her real career consisted of caring for her family with many wonderful meals and lots of Norwegian delicacies and cakes. Her famous turkey dinners were a treat for birthdays of family and friends.

Known as “Nanny” to her grandchildren, she nurtured them all with love and many suggestions about proper clothing and healthy eating. Blessed with great-grandchildren, and even a great-great-grandson, she could not say enough about how much smarter and more beautiful each new generation became. Hours of bridge with her “girls” kept her talking about keeping the house clean and her hair immaculate with weekly appointments at her beauty shop.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, Arnold and Norman O. Johnson; and sister, Mildred Tintinger.

She is survived by daughter, Linda (David) Klette Rice, and son, Larry (Cindy) Klette, all of Missoula; granddaughters, Jennifer (Rob) Turner, of Dayton, Nevada, Jocelyn (Eric) Manzanarez of Maple Valley, Washington, Adele (Gabriel) Crespo, of Duluth, Georgia; and grandson, Nathan Klette, with the Peace Corps in Madagascar.

She also leaves three great-granddaughters; three great-grandsons; and a great-great-grandson.

Memorial services will be held at First Lutheran Church in Havre, Montana, in May with interment there. Memorials are suggested to the First Lutheran Church Memorial Fund.