Funeral services for 92-year old Gladys Whalen are Monday, Jan 31, 2022 at 10:00 at Joyner Hall in Pine Ridge, SD, with Ms Joyce Tibbitts officiating.
Burial is at the Holy Cross Episcopal Cemetery in Pine Ridge.
A one-night wake service starts Sunday, Jan 30, at noon, also at Joyner Hall in Pine Ridge.
Gladys C. Campbell Whalen was a member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. She was born November 15, 1927, in Rulo, NE. to Louis Campbell and Mary Brien Campbell, and passed away January 22, 2022.
Gladys attended Haskell University in Lawrence, KS, from September 1946 through May 1948, receiving a certificate in Business. At Haskell, Gladys met the love of her life, Emmett Whalen Sr.
When school ended, both returned to their own Reservation. Haskell called Gladys at home and gave her an option to accept a job with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. or on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Gladys chose Pine Ridge with a start date of June 1948. Jim and Annie Colhoff were assigned to pick her up in Rushville and transport her to Pine Ridge.
Gladys did not know Emmett was from Pine Ridge, so as she sat on the steps of the O.C.S. girls dorm, she was very surprised to see Emmett walking toward her handing out candy to little children.
Astonished, she asked him what he was doing here. Emmett’s response was that he lived here. Gladys vividly remembers the blizzard of 1949 with snow drifts up to the 3rd floor windows of the old club house.
Gladys followed Emmett during his enlistment in the Air Force, both returning to Pine Ridge. Gladys accepted a position with the BIA Branch of Education in September 1953.
In August 1971, Gladys was selected by the Employment Assistance Program as Vocational Guidance Specialist with the BIA. In May 1976, she transferred to Salt Lake City, UT, as Vocational Development Specialist.
Gladys became the B.I.A. Housing Program Officer at Horton Agency in Kansas in 1980 before retiring from the B.I.A. in 1986 and returning to Pine Ridge, which she considered her home.
Gladys is survived by her son Emmett Jr; 31 grandchildren: Nicole, Terri Lynn, Jess, Louis, Monte, Sue, Serine, Tyson, Anthony, Jack, & Jeff, Tony, Tia, Bill, Lacy, Lori, Louis, Mark, Marissa, Candace, Jeannie, Monte (Francine), Melva, Kim Cuny, KymBerlee Koster, Henny Cleone, Bruce (Carol), Kyle, Jeremiah, Elizabeth, & Bruce Jr.; 59 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren.
She is also survived by her cousin Freda (Melvin) White Bull; children Mary Jo, Mike, Bill, and Netzi; nephews & nieces Dixie & Dougie Campbell, Kevin & Clara Boyd, Saunie Kaye, Mona, Holly, Connie, Richard Wilson Jr, Carol Camargo, Arlene Catches the Enemy, Russell Whalen Jr, Cheryl White Rabbit, Troy & Myron Whalen, and Teddy Peterson & Sonny Long Crane.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, Louis & Mary Campbell; siblings George, Melvin, & Jess Campbell, Luetta Boyd, Marie Jenkins; father- & mother-in-law Richard and Emma Whalen; Husband and Love of her life Emmett Whalen Sr; brothers-in-laws Richard Jr, Russell Glenn Sr, and Robert “Pete” Whalen; sisters-in-law Thelma S, Yvonne (Dick) Wilson, Mimi, and Marcie Whalen; and grandchildren Jeff Whalen Jr and Leonard Poor Bear Jr.
Gladys’ grandchildren will carry their grandmother to her resting place.
Honorary pallbearers will be Bud Waters, Terry Going Sr., Marlin Hawk Wing, James Two Elk, Curtis Temple, Justin Fast Wolf/Afraid of Bear, Charlotte Black Elk, Darrell Gup Red Shirt, Wanda & Lula Janis, Myrtle Cedar Face, Jessie Waters, Vanessa & Laura Red Cloud, Sandy Graham, Natalie White Plume. CHR program and Stillwater Hospice, and All Friends & Relatives.
Arrangements entrusted with Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD