Gladys Litland

Marie Gladys Litland was born in Chicago, Illinois on Sept 2, 1931, during the family’s temporary relocation from Norway during the Depression. ‘Gladys’, as she was known, moved back to Norway with her family when she was 5. She grew up on a farm with 8 siblings and with very loving Christian parents. Her mother would gather the 9 children before bed each day and sing and pray with them. Tante Gladys, or ‘Nynee’ as she was nicknamed, shared many good memories of childhood such as the annual search in the woods for the perfect Christmas tree. All 9 children went with their ‘Papa‘ into the woods as ‘Mama’ cleaned the house. They also lived through WW2, which was very challenging for the family, but living on a farm was a godsend because they had enough food, where others did not.

When her sister Alice was 18 and Gladys was 17, they moved to Brooklyn in the US to find employment. While there, Gladys met a group of young people who invited her to a Norwegian Christian church. One Sunday, she heard God speak to her loudly and firmly saying, ‘Gladys, you are to go to Africa!‘ At the time, many Norwegians were there as missionaries and medical staff. She automatically decided to obey but felt she must become a nurse first. Returning to Norway, she studied to be a surgical nurse and also became a nurse anesthesiologist.

Gladys went with the Norwegian Lutheran Mission to Tanganyika, which is now Tanzania. In addition to her nursing duties, the head doctor also wanted Gladys to lead devotional prayers each day with staff and others. She felt afraid and inadequate but did it beautifully anyway. She often wondered why she was selected because she did not even know Swahili yet. She befriended a young Tanzanian girl while there. They became very attached and the girl called Gladys ‘Mama’.

After Gladys worked as a surgical nurse for about 5 years, she went back to Norway on furlough. Upon returning to Tanzania, she unfortunately contracted cerebral malaria for which there was no cure, and was sent home to die. But even with the severity and challenges of this illness, she lived a full life to age 93. The side effects were sometimes very bothersome but she was always sweet and had the smile to match, while always evangelizing for Jesus.

Gladys lived many years near Oslo working as a surgical nurse. She moved to the US upon retirement in the late 1980’s, settling in Whiting, NJ. In 2015, she moved to The Pines, a senior living facility. She made many friends there, was well loved, and continued speaking to others about Jesus.

She never married but leaves behind her beloved older sister, Alice, whom she considered another mother, and a younger brother, Reidar, in Norway. She had many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews who adored her. She loved reading her Bible and praying to gather more wisdom. She was also a very good watercolor artist but was shy about that. Gladys was just an amazing, inspirational, and beloved woman, and is already sorely missed.

A service celebrating her life will take place in Whiting, New Jersey and she will be buried alongside family members in Mt. Bethel Pennsylvania.