Mrs. Gladys Ethel West, of Decatur, passed April 25, 2012.
Celebration of Life for Mrs. Gladys E. West will be Saturday, April 28, 2012 1:00 p.m. at Oakhurst Baptist Church, 222 East Lake Dr., SE, Decatur. Rev. Lanny Peters and Rev. Melanie Vaughn-West, Pastors officiating. Interment, Westview Cemetery. Remains instate 12:00 noon. Family will assemble at Funeral Home 12:30 p.m. Visitation Friday, April 27, 2012 from 12-9 p.m. at Grissom-Clark Funeral Home, 227 East Lake Dr. (at Memorial Dr.) 404 -373-3191. www.grissom-clarkfh.com. Gladys E. West was born on April 1, 1922 as Gladys Ethel Houston to Richard Houston, Sr. and Mattie Jordan in Sandersville, GA.
When she was a small child Gladys moved to St. Petersburg, FL where she was raised and where she completed her formal education through high school. After high school, she moved to the northeast Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut where she lived (spending majority of this time in Philadelphia and East Orange, NJ) until 1979 when she moved to the metro Atlanta area where she lived her last three decades. After leaving Florida Gladys received specialized training in law enforcement work. However, most of her employment has been in the areas of dietician/food preparation and care-giving for children. Gladys has been an active member of Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur since February 1, 1980. She was selected to receive the Heart of Oakhurst Award in 2002. In addition to her rewarding church life and gainful employment, Gladys enjoyed many hobbies and recreational activities, which included reading, puzzles, fishing, gardening, traveling/driving, quilting/needle-pointing, gourmet cooking/dining out, listening to music and watching television/movies. However, her most enjoyable past-time was having lively conversations with family and friends.
Prior to March 2012, our Gladys was living alone, still preparing meals for herself at Decatur Christian Towers Senior Community Center (DCT) where she had lived for the past 15 years. Two of her closet friends at DCT were Junie Steven and Ida Mae Walton. In 2011, she was given a surprised birthday party that was attended by more than 30 family members and friends. During her recent brief hospitalization she celebrated a joyous 90th birthday with a few members of her family.
Gladys departed this life on April 25, 2012. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold West, her only child Chester L. Washington, her brother Richard Houston, Jr. and her sister Catherine Houston Vinson.
She leaves to mourn her departure, two granddaughters, Valerie Washington and Valerie C. Washington; sister-in-law Erma Houston (Macon, GA), two granddaughters Valerie Washington (Philadelphia, PA), Valerie C. Washington (Rouge Mount, NC), three great grandchildren: Michael S. Abrams, Marquie A. Washington and Shakeam R. Daye, four great, great grandchildren; During the past decade her primary support team consisted of her nephew Johnny L. Houston and his family, nephew Joe W. Houston and his family, niece Audrey Lawrence and son Michael, niece Dottie Allen and her family, her Oakhurst Church Family; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Gladys was an astute, kind and wise lady with a unique personality. She was well liked by those who knew her.
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