Celebration of Life service for Gloria Jane Slaamot, 60 of Sisseton, SD will be on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Sisseton Fine Arts Center. Officiating will be Rev. Vern Donnell, Rev. Jack Trosen and Rev. Steve Slaamot. Music will be provided by friends and family. Pallbearers are Calvin and Mary Lee Hills, Ron and April Moen, Joe and Holly Anderson. Honorary Pallbearers are Valerie Moen, Trevor Anderson, Averee Anderson, Emily Brooks, and Jake Brooks. Interment will be at the Bethel One Road Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. A Prayer service will be held on Sunday, June 1, 2014 at 6 P.M. at the Family Life Assembly of God Church. Memorials can be made to the Family Life Center.
Gloria Jane Hills was born on July 22, 1953 in Sisseton, South Dakota at Tekakwitha Hospital to Ronald and Julia (Hovland) Hills. She grew up with one brother, Calvin John Ronald Hills on a farm in One Road Township. Gloria worked on the farm with her dad, milked cows, drove tractor and loved orange pop from Lohre Station. She attended One Road Rural Schools for grades one through eight and graduated from Sisseton High School in 1971.
Gloria worked for Lowell Lundstrom Ministries in Peever at the original office as a secretary and met Irving Slaamot at break time at the Lundstrom farm. She was united in marriage to Irving Slaamot on September 29, 1972, by Rev. Jack Trosen at First Assembly of God Church in Sisseton, South Dakota. They had two children April Dawn on April 21, 1976 and Holly Joy on January 5, 1980. The family enjoyed many memories together at home, church, the lake, vacations, living life together. Gloria especially enjoyed laughing at Irv at all of his jokes and comments. She didn't appreciate his 'punctuality' and 'buying sprees'. The girls learned quickly to have the radio in the car turned back to Praise FM, not talk back, work hard, play hard, rationalize a need for a shopping trip and to return items that were bought. Gloria's girls thought she was the sharpest, classiest, most 'hip' woman alive. She had the latest trends and would often be 'ahead' of all of them with 'style'.
Gloria enjoyed time spent with family and friends. She believed in work first and play second. Her work included: Administrative Assistant at Family Life Assembly of God, cleaning at Data Management Services, and cleaning at Social Services in Sisseton. Prior to these cleaning jobs she cleaned for the church and in the earlier years of marriage the 'family' cleaned at Brewster Building Center. She often commented, "The girls have degrees and I clean toilets".
Gloria's day job gave her opportunity to 'jet' home in her convertible on a beautiful South Dakota day to bask in the sun. Many called her a 'sun goddess'. She loved the fact she was 'home' waiting for her girls in the younger years and most recently waiting for the grandchildren when the bus would come after school. Grandma 'Glo' always made sure the kids had their favorite 'snacks' for refreshment after school. She even went as far as to 'hide' the snacks that were only for the grandkids because some of the adults in the family have been known to eat the snacks before the grandkids could get to them.
Grandma 'Glo' took care of each grandkid in a unique way known to each of them. She was always there for them. Grandma 'Glo' rarely missed an event in which the grandkids participated in and loved every minute of it. Her greatest desire was for all of them to love Jesus with all of their heart. She 'glowed' when the kids would talk about their love for the Lord.
The Lord blessed Gloria with a gift of music to play by 'ear' and sing. She was able to pick up almost every tune without practice for any occasion when called upon. Those that she accompanied never had a concern for the 'flow' of the music as she followed their lead. Gloria ministered and blessed many people with her gift of music.
She was an amazing woman with a gift for hospitality. Gloria took care of everyone and loved to open her home for family and friends to gather and spend time together. She rarely sat down and the family is still wondering if she ever did eat a plate of food at a gathering.
Our precious wife, mother, grandma and sister went to be with Jesus on May 26th, 2014 after a courageous battle here on earth. She never complained despite many challenging times these past few years.
Gloria is survived by her husband Irv, two daughters, April and husband Ronald J. Moen, Holly and husband Joe Anderson; three grandchildren, Valerie, Trevor and Averee; one 'honorary-adopted' daughter, Teresa and husband Mark Brooks, their children Emily and Jake; and one brother, Calvin and wife Mary Lee Hills. Gloria is preceded in death by her parents, Ronald and Julia (Hovland) Hills and one infant brother Luther James.
Gloria loved the Lord with all her heart and while she will be greatly missed we know she is with Jesus and is completely healed. She believed in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Her desire would be for you to ask Jesus into your heart and meet her someday in heaven!
~JUST BE THERE~