Gladys Pearl Smyth Galbraith

Her father was a carpenter by trade and Gladys' family moved to and lived in many places in the Midwest and West including a 5 year period in Kansas City, Kansas. She was one of five children. Gladys and her twin sister Grace were only three years old when their mother passed away. Gladys and her siblings were raised by their father and grandmother.

Gladys exchanged wedding vows with Levern D, Galbraith on May 17th, 1930, in Crowley, Colorado.

They moved to Oregon in 1937, and then moved into their home in the Bonny Slope area West of Portland, Oregon, in August of 1941. Together they raised nine children.

Not only did Gladys mother nine children and maintain a household, but she worked outside the home as well. She devoted many years to Portland's Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital as a kitchen worker. She also worked many years as a seamstress for Columbia Sportswear. She retired (for the second time) from Columbia in 1983 at the age of 69.

Gladys will be remembered as an artistic person and as someone who was keenly adept with her hands. She enjoyed drawing, painting, sewing, knitting, ceramics, beadwork, and embroidery – just to name a few of her many creative endeavors. She made so many beautiful things for her family, and friends; things that are kept and treasured to this day. Gladys was a wonderful homemaker. She mended, canned, washed clothes by hand, baked bread, maintained a practical family budget and savings (she could make a little bit go a long way), tended to the garden, and could change the tire on the family car (back when it was much more of a difficult and dangerous ordeal).

She was a loving wife and mother, sister, aunt, and friend.

Gladys is predeceased by her parents; her husband, Levern; a son James D. "Jim" Galbraith, a daughter, Doris M. Warren; brothers Elmer and Kenneth Smyth; a sister, Alice Fox; and very recently, her twin sister Grace Grimme.

Survivors include her children, Shirley M. Trachsel of Stanfield, Oregon, Leo D. Galbraith of Stanfield, Oregon, Margaret J. Nelson of Umatilla, Oregon, Edna M. Lien of Castle Rock, Washington, John R. Galbraith of Portland, Oregon, Raymond L. Galbraith of Castle Rock, Washington, and Larry D. Galbraith of Stanfield, Oregon; a sister-in-law, Pauline Smyth; 20 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great grandchildren; and many, many nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Service followed by a Graveside Committal will take place in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home on Thursday, March 22, 2012, at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Community Home Health and Hospice of Longview, Washington

Arrangements Entrusted to Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home (503) 292-6611