Obituary of Gladys Elva Krings

Gladys Elva Krings, age 91, of Wisconsin Rapids, passed away on Monday, May 2, 2016 at Waterford Assisted Living in Wisconsin Rapids. Services will be at 12:00 PM on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids. Rev. Timothy Wenger will officiate. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 9:30 AM until the time of services at the church. Herman-Taylor Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylorfuneralhome.net. Gladys was born June 25, 1924 in Milladore, WI to Martin and Jennie (Hetze) Bankenbush. She married Robert A. Krings on August 14, 1942 in Iowa and moved to Racine when Robert went into the army. Gladys did what many women did during WWII, went to work for the war effort, riveting airplane wings.She was a homemaker for many years raising her family of three children. During those years she was very active in the Homemaker's Club. She worked as a cosmetic salesperson and later at Montgomery Wards in Wisconsin Rapids as the manager of the Service Department, retiring in 1980. She and Robert loved to travel, visiting most states in the U.S. including Alaska. They also traveled to German, Europe, England, Australia and New Zealand. They visited Canada many times enjoying fishing and camping in their motorhome. She was an avid snowmobiler and a charter member of the Kellner Knights Snowmobile Club. She also loved bowling and playing cards with friends. Gladys was a skilled seamstress, sewing wedding and bridesmaid dresses and clothes for the family. She was a charter member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church and served as a Sunday school teacher and active in Ladies Aide and Women's Ministry. After retiring she used her sewing talents making quilts with the Dorcas Circle at St. Luke's. She blessed each of her children and grandchildren with a handmade quilt. Gladys is survived by her three children: Duane (Ann) Krings of Salmon, ID, Jenny (Ronald) Stowell, Nekoosa and Holly (Phillip) Johnson, Wisconsin Rapids. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren: Kim (Patrick) Young, Kent (Debra) Krings, Kelly (Karl) Ray, Karen (Brian Buza) Krings, Dawn Anderson, Tracey (Joe) Nielsen, Stephanie (Douglas) Haegerl, Shad (Jessica) Stowell, Staria Brickner, Shanna (Josh) Kreutzer, Jennifer (Jason) Joling, Joshua (Jenna) Johnson, Jacob (Katie) Johnson and Scott (Joan) Johnson. She is additionally survived by 31 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by sisters Bernice Strauch-DuPas of West Bend, WI, Eileen (Raylin) Boyter of Henderson, NV, and Eunice Gevaart, Brown Deer, WI as well as numerous nieces and nephews and special friends Ellen and Gene Robbins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; parents, Martin and Jennie Bankebush; sisters Alice (Melvin) Moen, Irene (Harvey) Weber and Esther (Charles) Koepke; brother Clarence (Viola) Doughty, brothers-in-law Donald Gevaart, William Strauch and Gene DuPas; father and mother-in-law (Arnold and Mary Krings); grandson Todd Johnson, great-granddaughter Noe Brickner and nephew Terry Weber. Memorials will be designated by Gladys' family for St. Luke's Lutheran Church of Wisconsin Rapids or gifts may be given to Alzheimer's Research or Ministry Home Care Hospice. The family would like to especially thank Bea Jaye Herman, Jane Franz and Shirley Collins for their assistance and attention in allowing Gladys to remain in her loved home for so long, the staff at The Waterford (Pine Ridge) Assisted Living for showing her so much kindness, care and love and for Ministry Home Care Hospice workers for the special care they provided to Gladys.