Gladys Edria Allen died Friday, May 27, 2011, at the Good Samaritan Center in St. Ansgar, Iowa. She was 91.

Gladys was born June 19, 1919, in rural Carpenter, Iowa, to Elmer and Eva (Thomas) Heard.

Gladys graduated from Carpenter High School in 1937. On Dec. 18, 1940, Gladys was united in marriage to Lewis Allen of London, Minn. Gladys and Lewis spent most of their married life at first farming and then residing in and around the Carpenter and St. Ansgar, Iowa areas. They also lived in Mesa, Ariz., for 3 ½ years.

Gladys was employed by the Mitchell County Memorial Hospital and later the United States Postal Service. Gladys had many interests and hobbies and volunteered many hours in service to the Goodwill Industries, the Carpenter Cemetery Association, and her church. She was a member of the St. Ansgar United Methodist Church, where she served as long time chairman of the missions committee. She and Lewis were caretakers of the Carpenter Cemetery and were custodians at the church for many years.

She is survived by two nieces: Bonita Heard Bakker (Meint) and Jean Heard Byl (Vern); cousins, Martha Chancellor (Denis Boerjan) and Phyllis Levendusky (Don), and by many additional cousins, great-nieces and nephews and extended family members.

Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her two brothers, Orie Heard and Kenneth Heard, and two nephews, Gary Heard and Floyd Heard.

Services for Gladys Allen will be conducted by Rev. Peter Chang at the St. Ansgar United Methodist Church, Tuesday, May 31, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be an hour before the service. Burial will be in the Woodbury Cemetery, rural Lyle. Memorials may be directed to the St. Ansgar United Methodist Church, 510 W. 4th St., St. Ansgar, IA 50472.