Gladys Leesley-Crawford, age 96, of Sioux City, Iowa, (formerly of Sloan & Oto, Iowa) passed away on Sunday, October 9, 2022, at the MercyOne Medical Center of Sioux City, Iowa.

A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the United Church of Christ of Oto, Iowa. Pastor Karen Handke will officiate. Committal services will follow in the Cushing Cemetery of Cushing, Iowa.

A Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at the Armstrong – Van Houten Funeral Home, of Anthon, Iowa.

The Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Anthon, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com.

Gladys Opal was born April 21, 1926, on a farm near Correctionville, Iowa, the daughter of Oscar and Augusta (Petersen) Wright. She attended country school then graduated from Battle Creek High School in 1944. On January 29, 1944, Gladys was united in marriage to Thomas Leesley, Jr. After the war the family moved to Oto, Iowa, where they farmed until Tom’s death in 1981. Gladys married Donald Crawford on July 1, 1983.

Gladys enjoyed farming, gardening, and raising farm animals; always happiest when she was outside. She was an enthusiastic farm wife who drove trucks and tractors, along with whatever else needed to be done. Preparing large Sunday family dinners was an important part of her week. Gladys was a member of the Oto United Church of Christ and the Mite Society, along with the American Legion Auxiliary of Oto. She was an avid card player and played whenever she had the opportunity. In retirement she played pool in a senior league, winning The Senior Ladies’ Olympic Championship. In later years Gladys and Don traveled to Scotland.

Gladys is survived by her daughter Conley Kuiper of Sioux City, IA; sons Thomas (Linda) Leesley III of Oto, IA and Greg (Bobbie) Leesley of Norfolk, NE; grandchildren Jodi Leesley of Los Angeles, CA, Teri Plautz (Verlyn Schuldt) of Sioux City, IA, TJ (Phaedra) Leesley of Clearwater, FL and Allison (Jeremy) VantHul of Sioux Falls, SD; nine great-grandchildren: Krystal, Elizabeth, Branden and Jordan Schuldt of Sioux City, IA; Payton and Piper Leesley of Clearwater, FL; Kennedy, Clayton and Kory VantHul of Sioux Falls, SD; and her sister Betty Stauffer of Ida Grove, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Augusta (Petersen) Wright; husband Thomas Leesley, Jr. and husband Donald Crawford; sisters Grace Armstrong and Alyce Anderson; stepbrother George Wright; granddaughter Bobbi Lynn Plautz; and grandson Kevin Kuiper.