Gladys Christine (Mastel) Eims

The rising sun filtered over the mountain tops, filling the valley, and in the quiet silence of a dawning day, a gentle soul took her final breath and stepped into the loving arms of the Father. Mom’s journey came to an end one day shy of her 93rd birthday. A journey that began in the heart of the Cascade Mountains amid the forest and meadows that surrounded Roslyn and Cle Elum. Gladys was born on June 23rd, 1928 and was watched over by her parents Christina Grimm and Andrew Mastel who spoiled their only child with love and joy. She spent the days with her friends picking wildflowers and sipping tea with her mother’s many friends. She often shared the memories of finding the first Curly Heads in the spring, tap dancing along with childhood idol of her day “Shirley Temple,” and later marching in parades with the school drill team. Her summers were filled with trips to Lakes Cle Elum and Kachess with her parents and visiting Sisters from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, skiing and riding her bike through the streets waving to everyone she knew. In her high school years, the family moved to the Yakima Valley and shared a home on Fruitvale Boulevard with her grandma and grandpa Mastel. Although she was an only child, mom had more aunts, uncles, and cousins than you could “shake a stick at” scattered across Canada and the Yakima Valley. Gladys attended St. Joseph Academy and graduated with the class of 1946. Mom and her classmates remained close throughout the years. It was also here that she met and fell in love with the boy next door, Wolfgang (Sonny) Eims. The two were married at St. Paul Cathedral on Feb. 26th, 1949. Mom shared the gift of life with her three sons Richard, Stephen, and Alan. She held our hands, patched our knees when we fell, and shared her faith and love with us making sure that each holiday was filled with its own wonder and memories. Our mother had a special talent and love for creating fancy birthday cakes and holiday cookies and was always busy with one craft or another. Her flower gardens were filled with “driftwood” from our many outings to Bumping Lake and huckleberry picking outings to Little Naches. She had a special relationship with her mom and together they filled the pantry with pickles and other home canned delicacies. No one was a stranger and everyone was welcome in her home.

Our mom was also no stranger to hard work. Her first job in the Yakima Valley was working for J.C. Penney. She also worked with our dad in the orchard during harvest time. She was always afraid of heights and told the tale of her mother-in-law ordering her up the ladder where she promptly fell off. Mishap ended her picking career, but she continued to sort and box the pears and cherries on the family farm for years to come. Gladys kept the books in both our dad’s and brother Rich’s business Joe’s Grinding and then became a partner in Stefan’s European Gifts at Track 29 for the next sixteen years. When dad died in the winter of December 1982, mom continued to provide for us by taking a job at Holtzinger’s Fruit Warehouse to pay for our schooling. She sacrificed a lot that we might have a Catholic education. She had a love for yard sales and spent most Saturdays in search of treasure with her partner in crime Barbara Halbert.

Mom was able to live in her home on 25th Avenue and was watched over by her caring neighbors until the day came when her legs would no longer hold her up, and although she claimed she enjoyed meeting the nice young firemen that came to her aid, she made the painful decision to move into assisted living. Our mother sat in her favorite chair and watched as her treasures were sold around her. Health issues plagued her golden years, dissolving disks, breast, skin and thyroid cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, but never once did she complain of her ailments. Mom moved to Landmark Care Center, where for the last five years of her life, she remained bedridden. Her days were made shorter by family visits and playing cards and her love of reading. In her books, she traveled to the places her legs would never take her. Mom’s favorite days at the nursing home were when the doggies came to visit, and ice cream Tuesdays. She survived Covid 19 and, although we tried to keep her spirits up from outside the window and on the phone, she was indelibly hurt by the isolation, loneliness, and lack of human touch. We are forever grateful for those angels including family, friends, and staff that attempted to make Mom’s simple life better. In her last days, Mom was sent to the hospital. She knew she was dying and asked to be returned to her little room with Betty (her roommate) where she could be surrounded by memories of a life well spent. Photos of family and friends covered the walls along with her treasured baby pictures of her three sons. It was amid her memories that her body finally found its rest and peace and tired from the long journey she entered the kingdom that was prepared for her since the beginning of time. We thank God for our mother and give thanks for the many gifts she gave us, simple gifts like faith, love of nature, and importance of family and friends. Gladys was a good mom and will forever be remembered and missed.

Mom left behind her living treasures, Richard and Syndia Eims of Yakima, Alan and Teresa Eims of Selah, and Stephen Eims of Easton, four grandchildren, Kristopher, Kimberly, Dakotah, and Tristan, along with her four great-grandchildren, and a host of family pets. In lieu of flowers due to the extreme heat, please feel free to make a donation of your choice or simply offer up a prayer on a star lite night.

Visitation will be held at Keith & Keith Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. with a Vigil service beginning at 5:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 8, 2021 at St. Paul Cathedral. A committal service will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com. In honor of mom please feel free to wear a brightly colored shirt