Ilion Date Line Gladys Pratt 94, formerly of 75 First Ave. Ilion, now a resident of Valley Health Services, passed away on Friday April 19, 2013 in Herkimer. Gladys was born on October 11, 1918 in Minneapolis, Minnesota the daughter of the late Charles and Anna (Marboe) Anderson. She was proud of her red hair, Norwegian heritage and being a direct descendant of Viking, Eric the Red. She was convinced this was the reason her grandsons were so big and strong. Born and raised in Minneapolis she worked as a model for Sears and spent a brief time accompanying the Andrews Sisters, when they toured the Minneapolis area, playing the Ukulele. Minneapolis is where she met her husband Thomas Pratt while he was attending the University of Minnesota; they were married in 1940 and moved to Louisville, Kentucky. She enjoyed going to the Kentucky Derby, wearing a fancy hat, and drinking Mint Juleps. Tom was transferred to Ilion New York to work at the Remington Arms and they remained there and raised their three children, she loved being a homemaker and always at home making cookies for her grand children to enjoy. Gladys enjoyed the outdoors and taking long walks and “hikes” at their camp in the Adirondacks. She was an avid reader and was an active member of the Ilion Methodist Church; past president of the Women’s Club and sang in the church choir, she sent the Upper Room to all children while in college, to provide spiritual comfort while they were away at school. Known for her interesting and often humorous comments, you cannot think of Gladys without smiling. She valued honesty and hard work. After her husband had a stroke, she cared for him at home for 13 years. Her favorite saying was “the meek shall inherit the earth”. At the end of her life, she resided at Valley Health Services where she lived with respect and dignity and had wonderful care by the staff of 2 east. Gladys is survived by a daughter and son in law Lorraine (Lorry) and Tom Stubley of Cedar Lake and their children Ben and Mary Stubley-Morgan, Ted Stubley and her great grandson son Tom Morgan; a son in law Charles Propheter of Rocky Hill, Ct, and his children Amy and Mark Propheter; a great grandson Jack, and a granddaughter Susan Propheter. Gladys was predeceased by her husband Thomas in 1998, her son Thomas in 1966, and her daughter Cathryn (Cathy) Propheter in 2010. In keeping with Gladys’s wishes the funeral service will be private and at the convince of the family. Interment will take place in the Armory Hill Cemetery. Friends are asked to consider memorials to Valley Heath Services 690 W. German Street, Herkimer NY 13350 in Gladys’s memory; envelopes are available at the funeral home. Arrangements are with the Whiter-Hendrix Funeral Home Inc. 100 Otsego Street Ilion. To light a memorial candle, please go to www.whiter-hendrix.com