Gladys was born July 29, 1935 near Amsterdam, MO in Bates County, MO, the oldest child of Roy Dee and Opal Mae (Daniels) VanSlyke. She graduated from Miami High School in May, 1954. She then worked at Dairy Creme in Butler, MO. On September 12, 1954 she married Paul Baumann. They had one daughter, Debra G. in California. She and Debra returned to Missouri where she worked for Mr. & Mrs. Baumann typing dog papers for registry, as all were pure bred. She later worked for Bass Buster Lures and then attended Heavlin Beauty School. She worked at Goldie’s Beauty Shop in Butler.
On November 22, 1961 she married Willis M. Clark. A year later he adopted her daughter, Debra. On August 26, 1963 they had a son, Floyd Dee, born in Columbia, MO. He received both of his grandparents’ names. In 1962 Willis was transferred with Peabody Coal to Columbia from Montrose Power Plant. She went to work for the Veterinary School of Medicine in research. Ten years later Willis was transferred to Calhoun Tebo Mine where she was hired to work. She then went to Power Mine, Will Scarlett Mine, Illinois, Colony Bay, West Virginia, then retired after 17 ½ years.
Upon retirement, October, 1990, she and Willis returned to Adrian to be near her parents. She became a CAN and CMT and worked four years before having to stay home and take care of Willis. Gladys enjoyed her computer; it had her Bible, music and games on it. She also enjoyed going to the boats once a year and traveling to Texas for Thanksgiving. She had belonged to the United Methodist Church in Amsterdam, MO.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Opal VanSlyke, her husband, Willis M. Clark, a daughter, Debra G. Nickles, two grandsons, Mitchell Lee Gallup and John (Jay) H. Gallup, III, and a brother, Jack VanSlyke and his wife, Doris. She is survived by one son, Floyd D. Clark, Adrian, MO; one grandchild; several great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren; extended family, Rhonda and Harold Rhodes; two sisters, Vesta (Leonard) Burbank and Connie Gibson (Jimmy); one brother, Dale VanSlyke (Linda); uncle Jim VanSlyke (Pauline), and a brother-in-law, Maurice Clark (Kay).
