Gloria Row

Rock Rapids, IA        Gloria M. Row age 86 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids.        Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 AM Saturday, February 24th at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids with Fr. Francis Makwinja officiating. Burial will take place at a later date.        Visitation will be Saturday, February 24th from 10:00 AM until the time of service at 11:00 AM at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids.        Memorial may be directed to Camp Foster, Sanford Hospice, and/or Island Park Project.      Gloria was born April 13, 1931, the daughter of Lewis and Alice (Benson) Anderson at Hurley, SD.  She graduated from Morgan High School and continued her education working in accounting and taking college classes.  Gloria was an avid reader, traveler, and lifelong learner.  On July 5, 1965, she was united in marriage to Gilbert Row.  That same year the couple moved to Rock Rapids, where they made their home and raised a family.  Gloria was active in numerous civic organizations and functions over the years.  She had a servant’s heart and loved to visit, assist, and spend time with people which led her to decades of work in Hospice, Meals on Wheels, the Blood Bank, at the election polls, reading to the elderly at the nursing homes, and tutoring teens to obtain their GEDs.  Gloria worked several places over the years, including Kraft Foods, Row’s and Merrill Pioneer Hospital as a nursing assistant and bookkeeper.  She had a wicked sense of humor, enjoyed puzzles and card games, and maintained the local Red Hat Society.  She loved her family and enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and keeping track of them on Facebook.  She drove everywhere; nothing stopped her!  After following her desire to contribute to medical research and prolong her life through radiation, her health quickly declined and she passed away at Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids at the age of 86, with family surrounding her with love.  Gloria stayed young at heart and mind until the day of her death.        Gloria is survived by her five children: Cathy (Ted) Matthews of Hutchinson, MN; Elizabeth (Dale) Whitlock of Kingsley, IA; Margaret (Eric) Letsche of Sergeant Bluff, IA; Dr. Charles Row of Portland, OR; and Theresa Row of Baltic, SD; grandchildren Michael, Rebecca, Joshua, Austin, Nicole and Rachel; 4 step-grandchildren; siblings Lewis, Charles (Berniece); Ruby, and Rosemary (Bill); and many nieces and nephews.        Gloria was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gilbert; and her brothers, Norman and Wesley.