Gladys Esther Kovich

Gladys Esther Thompson Kovich, age 95, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 13, 2025, in her Huffman, Texas home surrounded by her loving family. Gladys was born February 5, 1930, in Selkirk Michigan and was the youngest of eight children of Joseph Ernest and Audrey Gregg Thompson.

Her parents, staunch Protestants, guided Gladys and her siblings in their faith both at home and at nearby Churchill United Methodist Church. Gladys had a colorful childhood marked by the hard work of a rural Depression-era household but also fun with siblings and playmates from the Rifle River region. After graduating from high school in 1947, she married her former husband, James Peterson, in 1948 and lived in a house on Concord Street in Midland Michigan. They started their family with the arrival of Douglas in 1949 and then came Debra, Janet, Craig and finally Jonathan in 1962. Jim worked at Dow Chemical and Gladys stayed home to raise their five children, all the while, experiencing the many joys and challenges that come along with managing a large household.

The next part of her life journey entailed a divorce and finishing raising her youngest, Jon, as well as moving to Houston in 1979 to follow her oldest children who were already residing there. Throughout her life, Gladys would move between Houston and Midland, all the while taking positions as a trust officer for Chemical Bank and Trust as well as a high-level executive secretary for oil and gas companies. No doubt, she gathered many friends along the way and lived life to its fullest. In the late eighties, she met a gentleman by the name of Gordon Kovich, who fell head over heels with the vivacious and joyful Gladys, and they would marry in 1990 and reside in Clear Lake, Texas. It was a time of adventure and new beginnings as Gladys retired and she and Gordon traveled extensively, bought two cats (Blazer and Porscha), and learned to sail as well as many other new adventures. Sadly, Gordon passed in1993 and Gladys decided to return to her roots in Midland Michigan.

In her later years, she thoroughly enjoyed living in her condo with all of her kitties. Also, living near her Michigan family again provided ample opportunities to reunite with them which brought her great happiness. She would meet with her sister, Bonnie, on Sundays after church and they would make the rounds and visit other family members. She also loved spending time with her niece, Lisa, and her family, in which she served as a "surrogate grandmother" to her great nieces. In 2019, she returned to Houston so that her children could take care of her, much to her chagrin. That being said, she thoroughly enjoyed her time back in Texas and took great joy in exercising, wearing her favorite color "blue", playing card games and socializing. She loved her cat, Toby, and especially loved spending time with her baby twin great grandsons, Levi and Luca. She was famous for her dancing, little "ditties" and her contagious "cry" laughing.

Gladys will be missed for all of the joy and light she exuded and left an indelible mark on all whom she came across. Whether it was her family, friends or a stranger, she exhibited a warmth that put people at ease and furthermore, made them laugh. Her sense of humor, positivity and authenticity were a rare gift that resulted in a magnetic personality which garnered a life full of love and laughter.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Wendell (Joan Wangler) Thompson, Ernest (Alice Selesky) Thompson, Alice W. Thompson, Howard (Jean Lally) Thompson, Lois (Evan Crow), Bonnie (Robert Dematio) and Robert (Phyllis Meiser); former husband, James Peterson and husband, Gordon Kovich.

She is survived by her five children Douglas (Rose Ann) Peterson of San Antonio, TX; Debra Crapse of Huffman, TX; Jan Jarrard (Kenneth Wenk) of Pearland, TX; Craig (Elaine) Peterson of Bellaire, TX; Jonathan (Marleen) Peterson of Yuma, AZ, grandchildren Brett, Kara, Todd, Christa, Haley, Rachel, Kevin, Albert, Jeanette and Leah and great-grandchildren Wyatt, Liam, Brooke, Reese, Worth, Levi, and Luca.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 11 a.m., Rios Funeral Home, 21036 TX-494 Loop, New Caney, TX 77357. A graveside service will be held in Selkirk, Michigan in fall of 2025. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gladys’ honor to Gulf Coast Tiny Paws at gulfcoasttinypawsrescue.org.