Gladys Mary Searles

Hastings resident Gladys Mary Searles, 95, passed away Thursday, January 5, 2023, at Prairie Winds Assisted Living, Doniphan, NE.    

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 9, at Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene in Hastings with Rev. Dr. Barry Kennard officiating. Burial will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 9, at Rosedale Cemetery in Rosedale. Visitation will be 3-5 p.m. with the family present Sunday, January 8, at the funeral home, and one hour before the service at the church. Memorials may be given to Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Gladys’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page.

Gladys was born December 18, 1927 in O’Neill, NE to Clarence and Marie (Lorenz) Ernst. She graduated from O’Neill High School in 1945 and immediately started teaching school. Gladys married Austin A. Searles on June 1, 1948, in O’Neill, NE; he preceded her in death on February 18, 2017.

Gladys was a farmwife and homemaker and taught her children to play piano. She was a member of Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene. Gladys enjoyed quilting, gardening, and baking.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Austin A. Searles; sister, Vera Connell; and brother, James Ernst.

SURVIVORS:

Daughters & Spouses:                       
    Judy & Gaylen Rainforth – Prosser, NE

    Kathy & George Witte – North Platte, NE

    Joyce & Larry Dye – Olathe, KS

    Rhonda & Fred Hansen – Lyons, NE

    Darla & Tom Bruna – Hastings, NE

Grandchildren & Spouses:                
    Tricia & Kevin Brust

    Lisa & Jason King

    James & Jeni Rainforth

    Mark & Kari Gurnsey

    Justin & Amy Gurnsey

    Nikki & Barry Lovitt

    Chris & Kristi Dye

    Bridget & Kelly Rhoades

    Brooke & Brandon Coffey

    Kelli & Tim Vander Ploeg

    Kendra & Andy Hagberg

    Kristin & Clayton Petersen

    Kim Knoll

    Noel & Brad Richardson

    Kyle Bruna

    Ryan & Hannah Bruna

Great-Grandchildren:                        
    44

Great-Great-Grandchildren:              
    2

Sister:                                                
    Vel Summers – Olathe, KS

Brother-in-law:                                  
    Craig Connell – Omaha, NE

Many Nieces & Nephews