Gloria Eleanor Southward, 90, of Alexandria passed away on August 10, 2014, at Bethany Home, where she had resided for several years.Gloria was born on November 16, 1923 in Carlos Township, Douglas County to Gust and Ellen (Shogren) Mattson. She was baptized and confirmed at Fahlun Lutheran Church in rural Nelson. She attended District 77 school in Carlos Township and graduated from Alexandria High School in 1941. On January 15, 1944, she was united in marriage to Sgt. Herman Southward of Alexandria, who was home on leave from the US Army. They raised their three sons and one daughter in Alexandria. Following Herman’s death in 1977, Gloria worked for many years at the License Bureau, before retiring in 1990.
Gloria enjoyed cooking, reading, doing crossword puzzles, gardening, and traveling. She was active in her church, Calvary Lutheran in Alexandria, for many years. After retiring, she also volunteered at Bethany Home. Gloria will be remembered as a wonderful cook, kind, gentle, quiet, smart, nonjudgmental, and hardworking. She was very loved by her family and friends and she will be missed greatly.
She was preceded in death by her parents Gust and Ellen Shogren, husband Herman Southward, sisters Ragnhild Olstead, Ethel Nelson, Edith Bolin, and Eunice Gordon, brothers Reuben Mattson and Edwin Mattson, one son-in-law David Scott, several nieces and nephews, and one great-grandson Isaac Pierce.
She is survived by her four children: Dennis (Carol) Southward of Minneapolis, Warren (Nancy) Southward of Binford, North Dakota, Mary Scott of Alexandria, and Thomas Southward of Alexandria. Gloria is also survived by one sister-in-law, Ruth Mattson, and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by six granddaughters: Deborah (Fred) Pierce of Fort Collins, Colorado, Melissa (Lucas) Hjelle of St. Paul, Christina Southward of Denver, Colorado, Diana (Dane) Wetterer of Greeley, Colorado, Jennie (Adam) Lanz of Bemidji, and Laura Scott of St. Paul. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren: Noah, Nathan, and Isabelle Pierce of Fort Collins, Colorado, Samuel Hjelle of St. Paul, Dane Jr. and Declan Wetterer of Greeley, Colorado, and Jack Lanz of Bemidji.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, August 13, 2014, 11:00 AM at Calvary Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Burial at the Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements were with the Anderson Funeral Home. www.andersonfuneral.net
