Gladys Alma Theis died quietly and comfortably on Monday, September 28,2026 at Maplewood of Sauk Prairie. She was born on April 20, 1934, to William and Alice Mack in Roxbury, Wisconsin. Her father was a farmer; her mother a homemaker. Gladys loved to share fond memories of growing up in Roxbury. She especially enjoyed playing with her siblings, neighbors, and cousins on the family farm. A favorite memory was the big party held in honor of her uncles when they returned from serving in World War II. She also reminisced of watching the school children walk home from St. Norbert’s, longing for the day when she could join them.

In school, Gladys was recognized as a scholar. She graduated valedictorian from Sauk City High School in 1952 and earned full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin. She chose to follow her heart and marry Virgil Theis on Thanksgiving Day 1952. For over 60 years, they lived and worked on the Theis Family Farm in the Town of Berry. There they raised six children and simply enjoyed a rural lifestyle of meaningful work and celebration of family.

As a young homemaker, Gladys was a true economist. She made laundry soap using lye, preserved home-grown food, and sewed school bags from worn-out overalls. After her children left home, Gladys worked as an administrative assistant to her brother, Ken Mack, at Mounds AgriService in Middleton. Upon retirement, she and Virgil enjoyed road trips in their camper, gardening, and entertaining their grandchildren. Her favorite pastimes included quilting and reading. Gladys served her community as a volunteer for RSVP and a local food pantry.

Gladys was deeply religious and lived her faith as a daily practice and way of life. She especially embraced the tenet of “love thy neighbor”. She accepted all people, unconditionally, for who they were and found goodness in everyone she knew. Gladys was known for her steadfast grace, dignity, and kindness. Above all, she was a patient and gentle mother.

Gladys is survived by her children: Mike (Joy), Susan (Don Austin), Monica (Craig Schiestl), Patricia (Lowell Foster), Rosanne (Dennis Thompson), and Lisa (Shawn Lerch); six grandchildren: Jocelyn Hammons (Wayne), Daryl Austin (Erin); Christopher, Joseph, and John Theis (Maria); Emma Schiestl; and four great-grandchildren: Allison, Wyatt, Emmett, and Everly. Other survivors include her sister, Liz Meffert; sister-in-law, Marlene Mack; and brother-in-law, William Butterfield.

She was preceded in death by her husband Virgil; sisters, Dorothy Butterfield and Lou Ann Bonjour; brother, Ken Mack; and brothers-in-law, Robert Bonjour and Curt Meffert.

Funeral services will take place at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Martinsville, WI on Tuesday October 6, 2026. Visitation begins at 9:00 a.m. with Mass following at 11:00. Burial will take place immediately after Mass at the parish cemetery. A reception will follow at the Whippoorwill Hawk’s Nest 7914 Hwy 19.

The family would like to thank the staff at Maplewood of Sauk Prairie for their loving and attentive care. Their holiday greeting of 2019 best captured Gladys’ essence and spirit: “If there were more of your mom, we could have world peace.”

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Winn-Cress Funeral Service

2929 Peaceful Valley Pkwy

Waunakee, WI