Gladys Lucille Cunningham Musser

Gladys Lucille Cunningham was born on August 4, 1920 in Tower Hill, Illinois to Oscar Cunningham & Lilly Beeson Cunningham. She was the eldest of five children who grew up in Tower Hill & Pana, IL. She was a coal miner’s daughter, who grew up during the Depression Era. Being the eldest, she was responsible for the care of her siblings and helping with the house. In order to help her family, at age14, she took on a job as a live-in nanny for a conductor and his family. She helped them with their children and the weekly shopping. This introduced her to a side of life her family hadn’t been privileged to see. She was modest and a very hard worker. Gladys was a beautiful woman. She wore form fitting skirts with nice blouses and high heels, “a looker” if you will. In her late teens, she met and married the late Martin Musser in Illinois. They raised two children together, Donna & Martin. They were married over 65 years before he left this Earth. They enjoyed traveling to different towns, building new churches and helping those churches build up their congregations. They were Pentecostal Evangelists of the United Pentecostal Church. She enjoyed playing the organ and leading Sunday School classes for the church. Gladys was a loving, caring, a little stubborn and ornery at times; though she was strict in raising her children, they were raised with love and respect. She loved to do wood working, and was very good at it. She also like to crochet, and she loved to read. She was a “prayer warrior”. She knew her Bible from cover to cover. When asked what her favorite scripture is, she’d say “They’re all good.” On Friday, September 12, 2014, Gladys Lucille Musser was called Home. She was greeted in Heaven by her husband Martin Musser; her parents Oscar & Lilly Beeson Cunningham; her daughter Donna Musser Yarbrough; and her siblings: Gene Cunningham, John Cunningham & Mary Goodwin. Her life and legacy will continue to be remembered and celebrated by her son Martin C. Musser & his wife Joyce of Rockwall; grandchildren: Toni Gibson of Terrell; Gary W. Yarbrough & his wife Linda of Carrollton; Vernon Yarbrough & his wife Melissa of Caddo Mills; Tonja Carmichael & her husband Jim of Rockwall; Robin Hall & her husband Mike of Terrell; Craig Musser & his wife Sheila of Rockwall; Kerby Yarbrough & Treva of Oklahoma; 14 great-grandchildren; 9 great-great-grandchildren; and many more nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. The family would also like to acknowledge the caring staff of Mercer Place of Rowlett for the love and great care of Gladys.