Gladys Claire Kunter

Gladys lived a good and faithful life and peacefully was called to heaven on January 30, 2017, at the age of 97. Her last few years were dogged by Parkinson's and pain, so it was a blessing for her to step into heaven and experience the perfection God always intended for her.
She was born the second of 4 children to John & Cora Hoffman in Washington D.C. January 25, 1920 and she lived there and in College Park area of Hyattsville, MD, where she graduated from Hyattsville High School in 1937. In 1940 the family moved to California when her father, John R Hoffman (Cora) was transferred by the Dept of Agriculture to Berkeley to work on the Cyclotron at University of California. She made many friends and found employment as Cashier & Hostess for a Restaurant, where she met Henry (Hank) Kunter. The food was ok, but the relationship was great, and they were married in January 1942 as he was inducted into the Army and stationed at Fort Ord, Monterey, Calif. They had Daughter Nancy June 2, 1943 and Son Larry March 17, 1945.
Following the war, Hank went to work for Schillings Spices, later McCormick Spices, in San Francisco. They moved to Berkeley, where most of Gladys' family lived, and bought a home on Peralta Ave. there. As the children grew, they moved close to Hank's friend, Ralph & Elaine Anderson, in the Sun Valley area of Walnut Creek, where they lived until the kids graduated from both High School and Diablo Valley Jr. College. As they were off to College, it became easier to move to San Francisco, where they lived on Twin Peaks, which had a great view, Gladys loved using her binoculars to see what was going on all over the city and bay area. As Schillings Spices moved to a new plant in Salinas, California, they moved to the "Salad Bowl" of the Nation and lived on Russell Road - surrounded by Strawberry and Artichoke fields. It felt like a home coming, they had always loved the area from living in Pacific Grove, while stationed at Fort Ord. Hank died in 1987, in the Hospice at Carmel, where Gladys later volunteered in grief care and office help.
She worked for Railway Express Agency in San Francisco and in Salinas for Bank of America. After Hanks death from cancer in 1987, Gladys continued to live in Salinas and took up caring for peoples pets as they were away on trips. In 2000 she moved to be closer to her son, Larry, and lived in the condos at White Willow and then moved to Laredo Drive. As her health declined she lived with Larry & Marti in their home, then in Terry Lakes Assisted Care and finally at Columbine West Health and Rehab, where she died.
Gladys was raised in a Christian Home. Through her life, her faith in Christ was the essential core of who she was and how she decided what to do. In California, her parents were active in Thousand Oaks American Baptist church. As Gladys married Hank, she rekindled his faith and they became active in Berkeley First Presbyterian Church (because of his background in the Presbyterian church in Ririe, Idaho where Hank grew up) and then in 1st Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek. She made sure both Nancy & Larry were raised to know Christ as their Lord and Savior and both are still active in the Body of Christ. She taught in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and was active in Presbyterian Women. The family was involved in organizing Grace Presbyterian church in the Tice Valley area of Walnut Creek. Later they returned to Berkeley First Presbyterian and as Hank's work moved to Salinas, California, they became active in Salinas First Presbyterian, where she was president of the large Presbyterian Women's Association and worked in the church office as a volunteer. Later she became a member of Northminster Presbyterian and served in the church there also. She was an active Deacon in the church and continued in Presbyterian Women. On Moving to Fort Collins in 2000, she became active in Harmony Presbyterian church which her son Larry had been the organizing pastor, and which she designated for any memorial gifts.
She was a stay at home mom, taxi service, tutor, Scout mom, and made sure Nancy & Larry attended everything that was good for them. There was probably no book they were supposed to read for class that she didn't read and probably knew better than they did - an intelligent woman. She was always looking for ways to encourage her children's and grandchildren's talents. Larry & Nancy remember her taking them to dance lessons, music lessons, attended concerts and driving car pools of teens to all sorts of special events. She also would often make late evening trips to pick up Hank in San Francisco when he worked late. Hank wanted to embrace outdoor vacations, so the two of them did a lot of walking and hiking which prepared them for back packing in the High Sierra on family camping trips. Gladys broke her knee as a 2 year old, and had many surgeries on her knees all through her life, but still enjoyed the camping trips and gritted it out. Hank and she would also take long weekend trips to Reno for shows and gambling fun - she almost always won. They took several trips to England to visit Chuck & Nancy and children as he was stationed with the Air Force there. They also visited Europe with her parents and later with friends from Salinas they took several long road trips around America and Canada - she loved to travel. With Daughter Nancy, she attended several conferences where Nancy was attending and enjoyed meeting new folks.
Gladys was always good at making new friends and she thrived everywhere she was. In Salinas, she was involved in the Steinbeck Home, ministries to poor and help at rescue missions, President of the Women's Association and other projects around Salinas. With friends and family, they took a number of trips. She also became a member of PEO in Fort Collins. She even knitted hats for preemies born in Fort Collins, a very talented lady.
She was preceded in death by her Husband, Henry E Kunter, her Parents, John & Cora Hoffman, and brothers Donald (Halley) Hoffman, and Kenneth (Marion) Hoffman. She is survived by her younger sister, Dorothy (Art) Stroudt who lives in Placentia, California. She always kept up with all the Nieces and Nephews and Grand Kids. Gladys' daughter Nancy (Charles) Adkison has 3 living children: Meri (Jerry) Lee, Larry (Cameron) Adkison and Sheri (Keith) Zajak and Gary Adkison who predeceased her. Her son Larry (Marti) Kunter have 2 daughter, Victoria-Tori (Lee) Brumback and Charity (Chad) Finningsmier. Her Grandchildren have 13 Great Grand children: Alex, Brett and Christopher Lee; Tyler Adkison; Marcus Colello; Catherine, Bryce and Paige Jensen, Luke Zajak; Timothy and Matthew Brumback; Cole and Caleb Finnigsmier.
Gladys donated her body to medical research through University of Colorado, the Colorado State Anatomical board. There will be a Memorial Service at Harmony Presbyterian Church, 400 E Boardwalk Drive, Fort Collins on Saturday, February 25th at 11:00 am, a reception will follow. Donations can be made to Harmony Presbyterian Church or to a charity of your choice.