Her childhood was glorious surrounded by the large Freund Baking Company family. With her siblings and cousins she cherished trips to Soulard Market with her grandfather or to the bakery for a taste of warm rye bread fresh from an oven.
After graduation from Soldan High School, she completed a degree in art and fashion design from Washington University. She used her creativity designing clothing for leading department stores. She returned to Washington University and completed a master’s degree in occupational therapy. She interned at a psychiatric hospital in Illinois then returned to St. Louis where she met and married Irv, her husband of 55 years. Gladys was a fantastic homemaker and mother for 3 sons. She was the Cub Scout den mother, Flynn Park Elementary School parade float designer, and charitable carnival organizer.
After her 3 sons left for college and beyond, she completed a refresher course, in Occupational Therapy at Lindenwood University and began a career at the Truman Restorative Center caring for the elderly poor. She was an early theorist of the concept that mental health could influence behavior as much as physical illness. She helped develop projects for elderly patients that built on their past expertise and helped ensure they maintained a purpose.
She tirelessly continued to organize fundraisers, serving on volunteer boards including Jewish Hospital, Rehabilitation Center of St. Louis, and the Miriam Lodge (Past-President, 80 year member) and Miriam School. She helped inaugurate the Miriam fund raising estate sales and Switching Post resale store.
After retiring from her career in 1982, she found her calling in OASIS, a national model with activities for older adults. She led for 20 years “Contemporary Issues,” a lecture and discussion forum attended by over 100 participants. She recruited a broad spectrum of provocative, sometimes controversial, personalities from politics, the news media, and the arts. Marylen Mann, OASIS chair, has said “No one says no to Gladys.” To further illustrate her passion for knowledge and sharing of information, she attended the “Current Events Crossfire” weekly group at Washington University’s Lifelong Learning Institute for over 25 years.
Among her many civic accolades was a Woman of Worth award from the Gateway Chapter of OWL in 2007, a Remarkable Older Adult honoree from St. Andrews Resource Senior system in 2009, and the inaugural Alumni Achievement Award in Occupational Therapy from Washington University.
Her extended family always came first as she planned and prepared many holiday dinners. She organized and was part of over 19 multigenerational vacations in the U.S., Mexico, England, and South Africa.
At age 97, she took up oil and water color painting, first with recreating fashion designs and later clever portraits of family members that she shared at the Gatesworth art shows.
Gladys was the beloved wife of her late husband, Irven; sister of late brother, Harold (Harriet) and late sister, Estelle (Bernard). She is survived by 3 sons, Alan (Julie), Peter (Jeri), Larry; grandchildren: Sara (Jason), Dan (Jhilam), David (Kylie), Melanie (Matt); great grandchildren: Colin, Julia, Avi, Zoey, and many devoted nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to the Miriam Foundation, OASIS, or Lifelong Learning Institute at Washington University.
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