Gladys Harmena Mae Strand Lind, of Chesterton, passed away May 29, 2007 at
Life Care Center of the Willows, Valparaiso. She was 84.
She was born May 20, 1923 in Stevens Point, Wis., the daughter of Victoria
(Stark) and John Strand, both of whom preceded her in death.
On April 9, 1943, she married Frank Lind, who preceded her in death.
She is survived by two daughters, Toni Clem (George), of Chesterton and
Victoria “Boots” Lind Goetz (William) of Stevens Point, Wis.
After graduating from Mosinee High School, she attended secretarial school,
and then lived in Chicago with her aunt in the early 1940’s. While on a
summer job in the Indiana Dunes area (Furnessville), she met Frank N. Lind,
Jr. when she drove to Chesterton to buy gas at Frank’s Marathon Service
Station (which was located on the NW corner of Calumet and Indiana).
They were married April 9, 1943, and she worked with her husband in the gas
station as bookkeeper. In the 1950s she opened her own decorating,
accessories, and gift business, The Brick Wall Gift Shop. In the 1960s Gladys
and Frank started the Kirsti Hennery Egg Farm at their home property on
Indian Boundary Road. In early the 1970s, they sold their home and the 20
acres to the Duneland School Corp., now the location of Brummitt Elementary
School. The house and barn they built together in the late 1940s still is in
use on the property. They built a new home, where they lived together until
Frank died in 1985. (Frank was also Chesterton Street Department
Commissioner.) Gladys then lived with her daughter Toni and son-in-law
George, until her brief stay at the Willows Nursing home, following hip
surgery.
At the age of 75, Gladys’ son-in-law George taught her how to use a computer,
and she received her own computer system that year. Using the computer, she
enjoyed creating art work, writing poetry and her memoirs, researching
everything and e-mailing friends. She was an excellent pianist, enjoying
classical and popular music, and her favorite, “Bumble Boogie”. She was an
ardent animal rights advocate. She had many dear cats and dogs over the
years, and farmyard animals as pets.
Funeral services, Pastor Erik Bernth officiating, will be at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 1 at the White-Love Funeral Home, 525 S. 2nd St., Chesterton.
Private family burial service will be Saturday at Chesterton Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Friday from 4 p.m. until time of service at
7:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Independent Cat Society, Porter
County Animal Shelter, Humane Society of the Dunes, or donor’s favorite
animal welfare organization.
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Posted 5/30/2007
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