Barbara L. Gladding
December 13, 1934 to July 8, 2026
Obituary
Barbara L. Gladding aged 91, passed away on July 8, 2026, at 2:57 p.m. at My Michigan Medical in Saginaw, Michigan after a brief, intense illness.
Barbara was born on December 13, 1934, to Aquila and Jane (Clarke) Miller, in Trouty, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland (later a province of Canada after 1949). After business school she was employed as town clerk for Wabana, Bell Island, until the incorporation of the town began. She then moved to the city of St. John’s where she met Norman (Pete) Gladding who was serving in the US Air Force there until returning to civilian life in Michigan. They met again in Ottawa, Canada and were married there and resided in Alma for the remainder of their lives. Pete died in 1998, and Barbara continued on living in their home on N River Avenue until at the age of 90 when she moved to Arbor Grove Assisted Living in 2025.
Barbara was an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church Woman’s Group, served on the church vestry and later became a Eucharistic Minister. She volunteered on the board of Alma-St. Louis Senior Center, Alma Highland Festival, and worked at Community Café. She was employed by Alma College for many years.
Her hobbies included gardening, reading, knitting and crocheting, traveling and camping around the Great Lakes.
She is survived by her two daughters: Jayne Herweyer, Anne (Gordon) Richardson, two grandsons: Nathan (Erin Taack) Herweyer and Nicholas (Kelly Isgette) Herweyer, three great grandchildren: Lillian, Bastian and August, and many close relatives in Newfoundland.
She was preceded in death by her husband Pete in 1998; son-in-law Douglas Herweyer; her parents Aquila and Jane; brother James Miller, his wife Jean and their daughter Carol Ann (Miller) Lockwood.
Visitation will be August 6th, 2026, at Lux-Moody-Wolfel Funeral Home from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Alma, officiated by Reverand Michael Houle at 1:00 p.m. Friday August 7th, 2026. A light luncheon will be served in the Fellowship Hall after the ceremony and internment of ashes will follow the luncheon at Riverside Cemetery in Alma.
Memorial contributions may be made to Gratiot County Commission on Aging, Alma College, the Alma Highland Festival or St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Jayne and Anne,
I was so sorry to learn of your Mother’s recent passing.. I knew her when they lived in Freshwater, Bell Island. Your Grandfather was the school principal and my teacher and your Grandmother and my Mother were good friends. I remember how proud she was when Barbara named her first born after her. Your Mother was older than me, but I can still picture her, she was so beautiful. I often wondered about her over the years and I am so happy to know that she had such an active, fulfilling life. Please accept my sincere condolences.
Carole [Parsons] Crane
To cousins Jayne, Anne and families, All of us in her Newfoundland home and across Canada are remembering our beloved Aunt Barbara with such love, affection and good memories of her and our equally adored Uncle “Pete”, her husband Norman Gladding. We will miss her calls and her loving care.