Gladys was born on December 3rd, 1923 in Palacios, Texas to Oscar and Sallie Cavallin. She lived in the Palacios and Olivia area near Port Lavaca where her Swedish family had settled in the 1880’s. Her family moved to the Biloxi, Pascagoula Mississippi area during the depression and war years while her father helped build Keesler Army Air Field. Gladys graduated from High School in Pisgah, Mississippi, where her mother’s family lived.
Gladys met her husband, Sgt. William Steshko, Army Air Corps, from Brooklyn, NY, while he was stationed at Keesler Field. They married in Biloxi on November 25, 1942. As a military wife, Gladys traveled across the country and to Europe following William throughout his military career. Along the way, Gladys had two children, William Jr. and Nancy, and held a number of different jobs from secretary, to bookkeeper, to Program Manager of Radio and Television Stations in different cities. After her husband, Major William Steshko, US Air Force, died suddenly at Edwards AFB, CA in 1965, Gladys moved to Victoria to be near her extended family.
In Victoria, Gladys was a Realtor-Broker who designed and developed the Cherokee Park housing enclave adjacent to Riverside Park, as well as other houses. She was an active member/officer of the Soroptimist Club, President of the Victoria Symphony League, and a member of the Victoria Country Club. Gladys was a faithful Christian and long time member of the First United Methodist Church of Victoria. Gladys was known for her upbeat optimism backed by a steadfast self-reliant attitude – a legacy of her proud Texas family heritage.
Gladys’ siblings, Kathryn Townsend and Oscar Cavallin of Victoria and their spouses, her nephew Vernon Townsend of Rockport and her daughter, Nancy, of Victoria, all predeceased her. She is survived by her son, William N. Steshko and daughter-in-law, Karen Steshko of Burke, VA; granddaughter, Molly Gareau and husband Brian, of Marietta, GA, and her grandson, Nicholas Steshko, Woodbridge VA, as well as seven great-grandchildren. In addition, Gladys leaves four nieces, Sally Campbell of Goliad, Deena Geistman of Fordtran, Debbie Cavallin of Victoria and Denise Williams of Angleton and their respective spouses and families, as well as Mary Katheryn Townsend (Vernon, deceased), of Rockport, her niece-in-law.
A Celebration of Gladys’ life will be held Saturday, February 23, 2019, at 10:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church, 407 N Bridge St, Victoria, TX 77901 (Ph: 361-578-2701). A short reception at the church will follow the services.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in her name to the military support charity of your choice, such as the Semper Fi Fund (https://semperfifund.org/) or the Disabled American Veterans (https://www.dav.org/ ).
Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
