Glorianne Ebertz

JAMESTOWN - Glory T. Rudd Ebertz died July 22, 2014. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, July 28, at Basilica of St. James, Jamestown, officiated by the Rev. Al Bitz.

Viewing will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Williams-Lisko Funeral Home, Jamestown, followed by a vigil service/wake to be held at Basilica of St. James at 7:30 p.m.

Glory was born April 2, 1927, in St. Paul, Minn., the daughter of Leonard and Theresa Hamm Rudd Miller. She moved with her mother and brother to Jamestown in 1929. She graduated from St. John's Academy in Jamestown in 1945 as the salutatorian. Glory loved big band music, theater, dancing (especially the jitterbug) and was involved in many things including cheerleading, swimming and student government. She later graduated with a nursing degree in 1948 from the St. Mary's unit of the College of St Catherine in St. Paul, Minn. She received an academic scholarship and was a member of the last class of the Cadet Nursing Corp during World War II. She had additional training at the University of Mary in Bismarck and Valley City State College.

Glory worked as a Red Cross nurse in the polio (iron lung unit), in Sioux Falls, S.D., and later in Fond de Lac, Wis. Her next nursing assignment was in public health in Mercer County followed by Jamestown's Trinity Hospital in the surgery department. Her career included work at the Veterans Administration hospital in St. Cloud, Minn., Central Dakota Nursing Home in Jamestown and 15 years as an LPN college instructor at Jamestown Hospital for the Wahpeton School of Nursing. She later worked as an RN in the adolescent center of the Jamestown State Hospital, and retired after six years in 1993.

Glory had an extraordinary hunger for learning about all aspect of medicine throughout her life and was known to always have the most recent edition of the Merck manual close to her side. Rarely a day went by that she wasn't speed dialing her sons or daughters describing symptoms of a friend or acquaintances in search of their diagnosis or possible treatment options. She loved being a teacher, first to her children and later to her LPN students. She was known as the one to give gentle encouragement and held the trembling hands of many a student nurse when they gave their "first shot" or inserting a catheter for the first time. Mom loved children, first and foremost her own kids and grandchildren. She loved receiving their homemade arts and crafts. She proudly wore them on her wrist or displayed them on the refrigerator for all of her friends to see and enjoy.

Glory married John Ebertz in 1953 at the Basilica of St. James Church and became the mother of seven children (two girls and five boys). They had a long and faith-filled marriage for over 43 years. Glory was called once again to be both loving wife and caring nurse when Johnny died at home in 1996 after a long battle with leukemia.

Glory was a member of St. James Tabernacle Society, Our Lady of Lourdes Circle and an eucharistic lay minister bringing communion and providing spiritual support to others in their homes, as well as, Ave Maria and Eventide at High Acres skilled care centers. She was a member of the VFW and American Legion Auxiliary and the Retired Nurses group. As an active member of the church she co-chaired for many of the biannual rummage sale fundraisers for over 30 years. Her other interests included reading, playing bridge and being part of her blessed family that was always there for her. She cherished her dear friends that were so important to her daily life.

She is survived by two daughters, Beth (Keith) Herner, Puyallup, Wash., and Ann Johnson, Burnsville, Minn.; and five sons, Christopher (Yvonne Riffe), Bismarck, Peter, Bethel, Alaska, Paul (Veronica Berumen), Phoenix, Ariz., Patrick (Teresa Nickila), St. Cloud, Minn., and Dr. Michael (Donna Cappello), Orono, Minn. Glory is also survived by 23 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, 10 god-children, several nieces, nephews and dear friends, as well as Lowell (June Erickson) Rudd her half-brother and her brother-in-law, Joe Ebertz.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her stepfather, Ben Miller; her brother, the Rev. Charles Richard Rudd; and her stepsister, Kay Ross.

Our family would appreciate memorials to the Glory and Johnny Ebertz Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. John's Academy, Basilica of St. James Church, Ave Maria Village or charity of choice.