Funeral services for Gladys Klaudt-Bakker, age 64, of Sioux Falls, will be 10:00 am CT Friday, December 29, at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Visitation for the public begins at 5:00 pm Thursday with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Miller West Funeral Chapel, 6200 W. 41st Street, Sioux Falls.


A funeral service will also be held 1:00pm Saturday, December 30, at the First Presbyterian Church in McIntosh. Rev Dr Richard Mayforth will officiate with burial in the McIntosh Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Kathy Sieck-Chase, organist and Alexandra Chase, soloist. Serving as casketbearers are Harley Klaudt, Michael Barnes, Chad Barnes, Douglas "Woody" Hayes, Kenneth Ivers, Dennis Glines, and Tony Glines.


Gladys June Klaudt, the daughter of Sam and Martha (Vollmer) Klaudt was born on June 6, 1942 in Mobridge, SD. Gladys grew up and received her education in McIntosh. Following her graduation from McIntosh High School in 1960, she attended Northern State University in Aberdeen and received a degree in education.


Gladys returned to McIntosh and began her teaching career. She then moved to Gillette, WY and continued to work as an elementary principle for 17 years. In 1975, she returned to Northern and began working on a Masters Degree. While working on her degree she met and married Randy Bakker. She returned to Gillette and continued to work in education as an administrator. Gladys then moved to Texarkana, TX were she worked as a special education teacher. In 1990, she moved to Flandreau, SD where she was the principal at Spafford Elementary until her retirement at which time she returned to Texarkana.


In 2001, Gladys moved to Sioux Falls. Gladys enjoyed doing many different things including, flower gardening, crocheting, cross-stitch and genealogy. Her family was very dear to her and she considered and treated her nieces and nephews as her own children.


Gladys passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 26, 2006.


Grateful for having shared her life are her mother, Martha Klaudt, Sioux Falls, SD; two sisters and 1 brother-in-law, Pearl and Ken Ivers, Brookings, SD and Edgewater, FL; and daughters, Kris, Julie, and Kathy; Gloria Kline, Aberdeen, SD; and children, Jeffery, Andrew, Stephanie; one sister-in-law, Joyce Klaudt, Woonsocket, SD; and children, Vicki, Ted, Bonnie, and Scott; and a host of relatives and friends.


Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, her father, a brother, Alvin Klaudt; brother-in-law, Henry Kline, and two great nephews.