Dehn

Gladys Aileen (Oslie) Dehn, a long-time North Dakota resident who lived the last two years with daughter, Joan and son-in-law Jerry Herring in Ellinger, passed away peacefully Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015 surrounded by her family. Gladys was 89 years old. Born March 28, 1926 in Christine, N.D., Gladys attended Moore School before graduating from Enderlin High School. In 1950 she married Dalton “Ippy” Dehn in Enderlin and raised her family there. For 13 years she cared for the residents of the Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in her hometown. To escape the harsh North Dakota weather, Gladys began spending her winters in Texas starting in 2008. She gathered many friends here, as those who met her were immediately drawn to her easy-going charm. Gladys loved sewing and quilting, and was known for the clothing and costumes she made for her children, friends and relatives. She was an active member of and Sunday School teacher for Enderlin’s First Lutheran Church, a Girl Scout leader and a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW. And she could play cards with the best of them. But she was best known for her caring personality and sense of humor. As her daughter Bonita remembers Gladys, “her heart was filled with so much love that it escaped through her smile.” Gladys is survived by her two sons, Mike Dehn (Kathy) of Enderlin, N.D. and Bryan Dehn (Peggy) of Leonard, N.D.; three daughters, Lori Dunne (Kevin) of Austin, Joan Herring (Jerry) of Ellinger, and Bonita Dehn (Saknarin Boonkriengchai) of Houston; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; brother Palmer Oslie of Strongsville, Ohio; sisters Myrtie Gilbertson of Sauk Center, Minn., and Phyllis Atkins of St. Louis, Mo. Gladys was predeceased by her parents Anna and Alfred Oslie, husband Dalton Dehn, brother Cliff Oslie, sister Eleanore Shelver, and son Bret Dehn. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to VFW Post 9050 (225 3rd Ave., Enderlin, N.D. 58027). You may designate the Enderlin Veterans Memorial Fund or the Veterans Service Programs, which support the North Dakota Veterans Home and North Dakota Veterans Hospital. Although Gladys is the last person who would want a fuss made over her, there will be two celebrations of her life. A funeral service was held in Enderlin, N.D., on Saturday, Nov. 21. A celebratory reception for her friends and acquaintances in Texas will be held at Joan and Jerry Herring’s Blackbird Farm (1488 FM 2503, Ellinger) on Sunday, Dec. 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.