Obituary of Gladys Oleta Justeson

A Graveside Service was held on Thursday July 7, 2016, at 1:30 PM at the Sutter Cemetery in Sutter, CA for Gladys Oleta Justeson, age 89 of Gridley. She passed away on June 30, 2016 in Marysville,CA. She was born Gladys Oleta Sutton on December 22, 1926 to William Henry and Lora May Sutton in Lamesa, Texas. She was the youngest of 7 children, 2 brothers and 4 sisters. The early years of the family were difficult as with most people growing up during the depression years. They worked as share croppers, raising cotton and doing just about anything else that would put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Gladys picked cotton as a young girl and performed many other arduous tasks to help with daily chores on the farm. Looking for a better life, most of the family eventually moved to California in February of 1939, when Gladys was 12 years old. There oldest brother and sister stayed in Texas, as they were already raising families of their own. They settled in the Live Oak area and Gladys attended local schools and graduated from Live Oak High on June 8, 1945. A little more than a month and a half earlier she married Albert (Rusty) Ford on April 20, 1945. They were married for 22 years and together raised 3 children. Gladys and Rusty separated in the summer of 1967. She then married Mont Justeson on November 15, 1968 in Reno, Nevada. They lived on a ranch just outside of Gridley until Mont’s death in 1991. Gladys continued to live and work on the ranch for another 20 plus years doing anything and everything she could to make her home and yard be as good as it could possibly be. She took care of many other deeds too numerous to list. Throughout all of her adult life she was a homemaker. Besides raising her kids, she did spend time working in some of the local fruit orchards during harvest and in the cannery. She was a loving mother to her children and grandchildren, a caring wife and very hard worker. She always put everyone’s needs ahead of her own and she enjoyed the many simple pleasures in life and of family. For the most part, that was more than enough. But it wasn’t all work and no play, as she did go on a handful of vacations that included a trip to Yellowstone, a cruise up the Inland Passage to Alaska, an excursion to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and a flight to port Alsworth, Alaska to name a few. But mostly she felt that staying in the comfort of her own home surrounded by all that was familiar to her was the most satisfying and fulfilling. She was a firm believer in getting work done first and then play. Health issues in the last 5 years of her life slowed her down and then took a heavy toll on the woman we have always known as mom. She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers Ray and Bennie Sutton, 3 sisters Opel Fowler, Leona Wilbur and Alta Grace. Gladys is survived by one sister, Artie Gardner (Vere) of Gridley, her three children, Monte Ford (Debbie), Patsy Donnahoe and Bennie Ford (Lorry) all of Gridley. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be missed by those that knew her best. Arrangement are entrusted to Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel – 530-846-2138