Date of Birth:
Sunday, October 23, 1927
Date of Death:
Thursday, January 27, 2022
Age:
94 years old

Gladys Teresa Pulford

Gladys Teresa Pulford, 94, of Rochester, MN died January 27, 2022, at Madonna Towers Skilled Nursing Facility.

Gladys was born October 23, 1927 in Preston, MN to Charlie and Nellie (Liester) Mangan. She graduated High School in Preston, MN in 1946. On May 24, 1948, she married Francis Rodney Pulford at St. Columban Catholic Church in Preston. The couple lived in Rochester, MN for three years, then moved to Eau Claire, WI. A year later, they moved back to Rochester where they remained for the rest of their lives.

Gladys was first a homemaker and mother, raising eight children with the help of her husband, Rodney. She had various jobs in Rochester outside of the home, starting with Mayo Clinic desk attendant, store clerk at both Sears and Massey’s, waitress at the Country Club, cook at St. Francis School Cafeteria, then at Mayo Clinic as Animal Technician for Dr. Vanda Lennon. She retired from Mayo Clinic in 1992.

Gladys was part of the greatest generation and loved having a large vegetable garden, that she used to help support her family. Fall was always the caning season in our house.

Gladys belonged to the ladies group at both St. Francis and Resurrection Churches. She was on the board at Gramarcy Park Senior Living.

Gladys is survived by daughters, Mary (Ron) Reisner of Fountain MN, Lisa (Kevin) Sanders of Bella Vista, AK; sons, Dan (Beth) of Rochester, MN, Paul (Annette) of Mason City, IA, Duane of Lauderdale, MN, Wayne of Proctor, MN, and Brian (Jane) of West Bend, WI; daughter-in-law, Mary Helyn of Hermantown, MN; granddaughters, Tina, Nella Reisner, Mangan Golden, Lauren Pulford, Amy Goll, and Blair Abramson; grandsons, Jeremy Eslinger, Andrew, Joseph, Evan, Robert, Luis Pulford, and Alex Sullivan; and eleven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband; son, Arthur; parents; two brothers, Robert and Harold Mangan; three sisters, Francis (Ramaker) Shanahan, Marge Vreeman, and Kate Garnatz; sisters-in-law, Margaret, Orilee, and Muriel Mangan; brothers-in-law, Carroll Ramaker, Vernon Shanahan, James Milne, Herb Vreeman, and Gilbert Garnatz; and three nephews, Joe Ramaker, Tom Mangan, and Bill Mangan.

The Memorial Service for Gladys will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18, 2022 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home with Rev. Russell Scepaniak officiating. Visitation will be held Thursday February 17 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. In the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour before the service on Friday. Burial Will be in Carrolton Cemetery, In Fountain, MN.

The Family prefers memorials to Resurrection Catholic Church, Mayo Hospice, or Arthur Pulford Scholarship in Criminology.

To view a live stream of the service click here.