Gladys C. Rose, 85, of Pierre, passed away, Monday, June 29, 2009, at St. Mary’s Healthcare TCU in Pierre. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., today at Feigum Funeral Home in Pierre, with a prayer service following at 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 2, 2009, at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. Interment will follow at Scotty Philip Cemetery in Fort Pierre.

Gladys Irene Castille was born Nov. 10, 1923, in Sunset, La. to Armand Joseph II and Annie Celeste “Sally” (Boutte) Castille. As the eldest of eight children, she was lovingly known as “Teat” by her siblings.

Growing up in Louisiana, Gladys developed a love of horseback riding, playing tennis on the family tennis court and sports in general. Her love of sports continued throughout her life. She was an outstanding high school basketball player and shared her thoughts on the half-court rule used in women’s basketball at that time. Gladys graduated as valedictorian from Sunset High School in Sunset, La. She attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, Louisiana on an algebra scholarship, majoring in physical education. While attending college in Lafayette, she was approached by the government and asked to participate in a special aeronautical engineer training at the University of Texas in Austin. After her training there she moved to St. Louis, Mo., to work as a Curtiss-Wright engineering cadette. She commented that the highlight of her time in St. Louis was watching the St. Louis, Cardinals and St. Louis, Browns play in the 1944 World Series — the last World Series played entirely in one stadium. While attending the University of Texas, Gladys, along with many young ladies, supported the war effort by attending special dances for the soldiers. At one of these dances she met August Houston Rose, a Naval Cadet in pilot training.

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Houston often told of spying on the pretty young girl in the bright red dress who he was going to marry.

Being a man of his word they married on Feb. 17, 1946.

After farming for one year in Booker, Texas, they moved to Hayes to farm, ranch, and raise their family. Although Gladys’ life was very busy, raising six children and working along side her farmer, rancher, spray pilot husband, she managed to serve her community by being involved in many organizations. She was a 50-year- plus member of the Kirley Hall, Happy Home Club. She also was a long-standing member in area women’s extension clubs and was a 4-H leader. She was a member and state officer of the PTA; a Girl Scout Leader, Den Mother of Boy Scouts; member and former officer of the Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, Eight and Forty and volunteered at the Capitol. She also served on the local election board for many years. Gladys was an active member in the First United Methodist Church and the Methodist Women’s Circle. In 1969 she was honored as Fan of the Year by the Pierre Athletic Booster Club, and when her grandchildren began participating in Fort Pierre Athletics, she was honored as the Stanley County High School Fan of the year in 1995-1996. She was also an avid and opinionated sports fan of numerous professional and college teams that included a plethora of sports from football, men’s and women’s basketball, tennis, and women’s softball.

Although Gladys spent most of her life in South Dakota, she never shed her Cajun accent, love of Cajun cooking or her love of a strong cup of coffee. For over three decades, she hosted a New Years Day Gumbo Feed for family, friends and neighbors.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and three brothers, Felix Castille, Korean War, Dudley Castille, Church Point, La. and Marion (Baba) Castille, Opelousas, La.

Gladys is survived by her children: four sons; Tommy Rose of Hayes, Pat Rose of Pierre, Robert (Peg) Rose of Hayes, and Bill (Barb) Rose of Fort Pierre; two daughters, Peggy (Tom) Huber of Pierre, and Janet Rose-Perrenoud (Mark) of Rapid City; 12 grandchildren, Phillip (Michelle) Rose of Pierre, Aaron (Tammy) Rose of Fort Pierre, Andrew (Katherine) Rose of Hohenfels, Germany, Joshua (Rosemary) Rose of Aberdeen, Jessi (Eric) Herrscher of Hanover, Minn., Molly (Darin) Hausmann of Sioux Falls, Max (fiancé Lisa) Huber of Grandforks, N.D., Matthew (fiancé Loni) Perrenoud of Commerce City, Colo., Eric Perrenoud of Eugene, Ore., Caleb Rose of Fort Pierre, Jake Rose of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., and Michele Rose of Fort Drum, N.Y.; two brothers, Raliegh Castille of Sunset, La. and Armand Castille of Opelousas, La.; two sister, Betty McKinney of Opelousas, La. and Marlene (Snooky) Miller of Suset, La.; six great-grandchildren (with another three on the way) as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Condolences may be conveyed to the family at www.feigumfh.com. Memorials may be made to Kirley Hall, Fort Pierre Youth Wrestling, or the First United Methodist Church of Pierre.