Gladys Pejsa

Memorial services for Gladys Pejsa were held Monday, November 8, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. at Benson Funeral and Cremation in Mt. Holly, NC, with Pastor Brad Lowe officiating.

Interment was in the family plot at Graceland Cemetery, Corsica, SD.

Funeral & Cremation Services in Mt. Holly, NC., were in charge of arrangements.

Gladys was born October 5, 1923, in Corsica, SD, to George and Dena (Van Heest) Krull.

Gladys graduated from Corsica High School in 1941 and obtained her BS and MS degrees from the Southern State College and University of South Dakota, Springfield /Vermillion. While in college, Gladys was active in the drama club and had several roles in plays, and played basketball and tennis. Gladys initially taught in the country schools near Armour, SD. During World War II, while on summer break from teaching, she and her sister traveled to Bremerton, WA, to work in the Bremerton Navy Shipyards.

In 1946, Gladys married Roy Martin Wilson of Plankinton, SD. Together, Roy and Gladys had three children: Gene, Cheryl, and Rodney.

In 1957, Gladys returned to teaching, initially in a country school and then in the public school systems in Tripp, Wagner, and Gregory, SD. During her 40 year teaching career, she touched the lives of well over 1200 children and enjoyed her chosen vocation. Gladys was active in the local, state, and national education associations, and was elected several times as a delegate to the National Education Association delegation. In addition, she received the Rural School Teacher Award, The Laubach Literacy Action Tutor Award, and the Southern State College Recognition for Supervision of Student Teachers, and was a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta Educational Sorority and the VFW Auxiliary.

She also taught Sunday school, summer school, served as a Cub Scouts den mother for her sons, and coached her daughter’s softball team. Gladys was a member of the Lutheran Church all her life.

In 1975, Gladys married Frank Pejsa. Together they enjoyed many years traveling, playing cards with friends, pheasant hunting, and going to dances, as Frank played the drums in a polka band.

She retired in 1987, and in 1989, Gladys bought a vacation home at Dana’s Court in Arizona, where she spent her winters for 26 years. Gladys brought people together to visit, play cards, shuffle board, and enjoyed visiting flea markets and garage sales. While in Arizona, Gladys was also able to enjoy 12 years living near her granddaughter, Christine.

In 2016, Gladys moved to a senior living community in Minnesota to be near her daughter’s family. While living there, she took part in numerous social gatherings and made several new friends.

In 2020, Gladys moved again with family to Charlotte, NC. She enjoyed almost two years living in an active senior living apartment complexwatching baseball and basketball, reading, and doing arts and crafts. Gladys was an avid painter and left behind several oil and watercolor paintings for her family to enjoy.

After her 98th birthday, she re-dedicated her life to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with communion, prayer of salvation, and water baptism.

Gladys May Krull Wilson Pejsa passed away on October 30, 2021.

Gladys was preceded in death by her husbands, Roy Martin Wilson and Frank Pejsa; her parents, George and Dena Krull; and her sister, Caroline (Krull) Nevins.

Gladys is survived by her brother, Robert Krull and his wife Beverly (Sievert) Krull; her children: son, Gene Wilson, daughter, Cheryl and son-in-law Robert Kraft, and son, Rod Wilson; grandchildren, Christine (Kraft) Leavitt and husband, Gary Leavitt, Brooke (Wilson) Vandeberg and husband, Kasey Vandeberg, Robert Kraft II and wife, Maureen (Reilly) Kraft, Olivia Wilson, and Jack Wilson; and six great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Childrens.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.bensonfuner-