Gladys Brock Wills

Gladys Brock Jensen Wills, 103, passed away into the loving arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ, at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Seattle on July 4, 1908 the oldest of four children born to Frederick and Marie Brock-Jensen. She also had two older half siblings. As a little one she thought the firework displays in town on July 4th were done just for her.

As a young child, she and her family moved to the Kent Valley, which at that time was a truck farming area. They had lots of land to explore and spent many happy summers swimming together with their cousins and as the valley would flood over and freeze in the winter, would ice skate frequently. Her grandmother came from Norway when she was 75 to live with them. Her grandmother would sing to them every day from her little hymn book. It was through her grandmother that she came to know the Lord at an early age.

She remembered riding on the horse and buggy to town with her family and seeing cars being driven for the first time. Her family got their first car when she was about eight years old and being adventurous she got her driver's license when she was 16. She and her friends and family would drive frequently to Mt. Rainier in those early days of the park's opening.

She graduated from high school in Kent and attended Eastern Washington State College in Cheney, Washington. She played on the girl's basketball team while there.

She worked for the telephone company in Seattle, where she met her life-long friend Jean Everett. She and Jean took the train together to the 1939 World's Fair in San Francisco.

On May 24, 1940, she married her soldier husband, Howard O. Wills. They just decided to get married one day and got their license and took the ferry to Whidbey Island, finding the Justice of the Peace office closed. They came back a couple days later and did get married. Following their wedding, they both went home to their own families and told no one for a few days. After finally surprising everyone with their news they left on a month long camping trip, visiting every state and national park on the west coast. Howard then went to his duty station in Ft. Monmouth New Jersey. While there, he contracted polio and was sent to a hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas to recover. One day they took a car ride around the area stopping when they saw a group of tarantulas crossing the road. Howard poked at one of the spiders and it ran up his cane. He lost his balance and fell, with Gladys trying to pick him up and the tarantula running under his legs. They created quite a picture as they screamed and scrambled to get him up. Neither one was bitten!!

Their son Forrest was born on April 15, 1947. Together the three of them went on many camping adventures in the U.S. and Canada and Alaska and spent many happy summers at their cabin on Hood Canal. They had a wonderful Gravenstein apple tree there, from which she would make many delicious apple pies in their little wood stove. Howard would always state: “Mighty good apples in that pie!”

In 1955 they moved to their home on Arroyo Beach in West Seattle. They enjoyed the beach, gorgeous sunsets and the fruits of her lush garden for 46 happy years. Gladys' sister and husband moved in next door several years later and together had many treasured times together. Gladys was an accomplished knitter—starting to knit when she was four years old. Her favorite things to knit were sweaters, mittens, slippers and hats. Her family were the happy recipients of these gifts often! She also loved to craft and sew, making household items, Christmas ornaments and many other beautiful things! Their home also became home for several cats and dogs over the years and also a Mallard duck named Rover, who lived with them for 13 years and thought he was a person and not a duck.

After Forrest and Carol were married and had children, the boys loved to come to Grammie and Grandpa's house and play on the beach for hours, and also play with the little cars and trucks of Forrest's that they had saved. Grammie would take them down the garden path so they could see the awesome veggies that were growing. Her birthdays were great celebrations, complete with firework displays by Forrest and the grandsons. Grammie and Grandpa also came often to visit the grand-kids and Grammie would get down on her stomach and play games with the kids or look at their latest accomplishments. Often piles of books to read were part of the ritual.

Gladys and Howard took many trips in the early part of retirement. Several to Hawaii and also visiting relatives in England and Norway. Many of those relatives have come here too, so the families have become very close! They also took a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

As life went on, Howard and Gladys had several health problems. In addition to cancer, Gladys' eyesight failed due to macular degeneration. For many years, she used her binoculars to watch activity out her window. Howard passed away in January of 1997 due to stroke complications.

Gladys always looked on the positive in life and trusted her Lord Jesus completely. She radiated peace, and grace and loved to visit with people and learn about their lives. Because of her sunny joyful personality, people were drawn to her like a magnet, She had a wonderful sense of humor and laughed easily all through her life right up to the end.

At age 92, she moved together with Forrest and Carol to a home on Lake Washington. Her joy in everyday life was an amazing example for all! She again loved using her binoculars to watch all the activity going on outside. When her great-grandchildren came bounding into her room and into her lap, she was so happy—they'd sit and talk about everything they could see. Later the grand-dogs joined the fray and would jump in her lap also. She loved her cat even though the cat scratched her regularly. She belonged to a Christian Tape Library and read countless books on tape over the years. She'd share many of her insights from these books with her family.

Her last 4 years of life held many health crisis's including a broken hip on her 100th birthday. Her joy and sweet spirit remained strong, as did her faith in the Lord. Even as dementia took lots of her memory, she still was “right there” whenever we talked of spiritual things, and continued to know people and enjoy their visits, and LOVE when the little children were visiting.

We as her family are so grateful for this wise, lovely, gracious sweet mom, grandma and great grandma! God has given us a wonderful treasure and we praise and thank Him continually! We have nothing but treasured memories!!

Gladys is survived by her son Forrest (Carol), grandsons: Geoff (Jody), Sam (Dawn), Dave (Yoko) and Jason; and 6 great-grandchildren: Ben, Josh, Emily, Talia, Brady, and Charlie. Also she is survived by many nieces and nephews and cousins' children who loved and treasured her. She is preceded in death by her husband Howard, and by her brother Leif and sisters, Florence and Sylvia and her nephew Leif Jr.; also by her half-sister and brother, Mae and Ed and numerous cousins.

Many thanks to our dear friend Veronica Ness who took care for her so lovingly so many times over the years; also Becky Hella who faithfully came each week to make her hair beautiful. Many thanks also to the wonderful people at Swedish Hospice who so lovingly helped us care for her this past 1½ years: Danielle and Jaffa; and musicians: Syd and Rick; and volunteer Karen and others too. You all made caring for Grammie so easy and fun! We can't thank you enough!

Memorial gifts may be sent to: Mission Aviation Fellowship, Box 47, Nampa, Idaho 83653-0047; or Rock of Ages Missions, 316 North 70th Street, Seattle, Washington 98103; or to a favorite charity.

Blessed be her memory!