Gladys W Aldrich

Gladys (Walker) Aldrich

Gladys Aldrich, died peacefully at Trinity Village Retirement Community in Papillion, NE on August 14, 2025. She was 89; just shy of her 90th birthday in September.

Gladys Walker, daughter of Samuel and Mathilda (Uttecht) Walker, was born September 16, 1935 on a farm two and one-half miles Southwest of Kulm, ND. The farm was homesteaded by her grandparents Balthaser and Barbara (Bertsch) Walker in 1889. In 1936 the family moved to the John Uttecht farm three miles West of Kulm. She is the youngest of six children. Wilbert; died in infancy, Melvin, Leona, Clara and Ruben.

She completed her elementary education in Northern Township School, and graduated from Kulm High School in 1953. She married Robert Clair Aldrich on August 22, 1954 at Barnesville, MN. While Robert was in military service (USMC and USAF), they lived in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Johnson AFB, Japan. He completed his career while stationed in Nebraska. They moved there in 1961 and have lived in the town of Papillion since 1965. Robert worked as an electronic technician, retiring in 1992. Gladys worked for Western Electric, later known as AT&T technology and then Lucent Technology, retiring in 1996.

She was preceded in death by all of her five siblings, her beloved husband Robert Aldrich, Papillion, NE (September 14, 2000), eldest daughter Crystal Novak, Oak Forest, IL (January 18, 2025), twin grandsons, Brian and Joshua Aldrich, daughter-in-law Sharon Aldrich, son-in-law Tom Novak, grandchild Lauren Maree Novak and great-grandson Max Novak. She is survived by her children Beverly Gasior (Stephen), Redmond, OR. Dale Aldrich (Patricia), LaVista, NE. Sister-in-law, Lottie K. Walker, Renton, WA. She has nine grandchildren (Chad L. Novak, Crysten L. Novak, Thomas R.C. Novak, Ryan E. Novak, Sam L. Aldrich, Grace Gasior, Sharon R. Gutierrez, Jessica Strong, Jennifer Calderon), ten great-grandchildren, four step-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Gladys was a member of St. Martha's Episcopal Church and served in Altar-Care Ministry. In addition, she also filled food bags for the Pantry at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Omaha.

She loved to cook, bake, read, crochet, play cribbage, travel, bowl and volksmarch. She loved her family famously, generously and deeply.

A Celebration of Life will take place at St. Martha's Episcopal Church, Papillion, NE on Sept. 13, 2025 (time TBD). Gladys will be interred alongside her late husband at the Omaha National Cemetery in Sarpy County.