Gladys PIONTEK

PIONTEK, Gladys beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a lifelong country music performer, died at age 96 on January 5, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. She was born Gladys Bernice Sands to parents, Audra (Laugherty) and Charley Sands in Knoxville, Tennessee, on April 25, 1920, the fifth of six children. Her mother gave her a lifelong love of homemade biscuits and gravy. Her father, a musician, taught her how to play guitar while sitting together on the back porch. Gladys went on to perform with her friend Ann Gregg as "The Rovin' Cowgirls," playing on stage and over the radio, eventually performing one night at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. She later joined with her younger sister, Blanche, to form a country-western duo known as "The Sands Sisters." Throughout her life, Gladys never gave up her love of music and performing. She often brought out her guitar to play at family gatherings. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Joe; her daughter, Audrey; son, Jerry and grandson, Grant, as well as brothers, Raymond and Charles and sisters, Mae, Edna, and Blanche. She is survived by daughter-in-law, Patty Piontek; granddaughters, Kelli Carpenter and Jill Breznican; granddaughter-in-law, Michelle Piontek, as well as four great-grandchildren, Danielle and Samantha Carpenter and Audrey and Prosper Breznican. The family will be holding a celebration of life gathering. Those interested in attending should contact Patty Piontek for details. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Strong, supporting Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains.