Gladys Lanham

Gladys Ann Lanham, 96, went home to her Heavenly Father and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 18,2023. We are rejoicing that Mom is no longer in pain and has healed from the ravages of dementia.

Gladys was a long-time member at First Baptist Church and before that at Emmanuel Baptist Church. She loved the Lord and was always witnessing for Him.

Gladys was born on March 16, 1927, in Cleo, Texas to Lemuel L. and Gladys V. Brooker Dupree. Gladys had one brother who was three years younger. He passed away from cancer in July 1996.

Gladys and her younger brother were raised by their grandmother in Coleman, Texas.

In 1945, Gladys met the brother of her high school classmate who was finally home after serving in World War II. After a short courtship, Gladys married N.J. Lanham on January 5, 1946.

Gladys and N.J. lived in Galveston, Texas for a while and then moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico. During this time N.J. was honing skills in auto mechanics that he had learned by repairing trucks in World War II.

Gladys and N.J. were living in Big Spring, Texas when Gladys's aunt and grandmother urged them to come to Coleman, Texas for Easter Sunday services at their church. At the conclusion of the sermon Gladys made her way to the front of the church and accepted Jesus as her Savior. She looked up and N.J. had also come forward to accept Jesus.

In 1951 a daughter was born to Gladys and N.J. while living in Big Spring, Texas. Shortly afterward they moved to Midland, Texas. N.J.'s career as auto mechanic was going well and his brothers asked him to join them in Farmington, New Mexico at Sage Motor Company where they also were auto mechanics. The year was 1955 and Farmington was in the middle of an oil and gas boom. Not many streets were paved and it was primitive compared to Texas. Gladys hated it here until she went back to Coleman for a visit in the summer and realized how hot and humid it was and from then on Farmington was the better place to live.

Gladys and N.J. joined First Baptist Church and Gladys began a long career of teaching teenage Sunday School classes. She loved young people and they loved her. Gladys taught Sunday School for the next 20 years.

In 1959 Gladys and N.J. welcomed a son. By this time, they had homesteaded land on Harper Hill. N.J. eventually built a shop behind their house so he could have his own auto repair business.

Gladys and N.J. moved from Harper Hill to Farmington in 1974 after the new highway had to take part of their property.

In 1979 Gladys lost N.J. to cancer. After N.J.'s death, Gladys excelled in being a landlady to the tenants in the four-plex they had built next to their house. She also was very interested in healthy eating and soon was selling health food products. Gladys had an interest in art and took classes in painting and ceramics. She enjoyed going to the Senior Citizen Center in Farmington and started 50+ Singles at the Bonnie Dallas Senior Center.

Gladys is survived by a daughter, Charlotte (Paul) Ratliff, a son, Glenn (Amanda) Lanham, 4 grandchildren, Jody Ratliff, Dana (Diana) Ratliff, Brooke (Kyle) Hawkins, Parker (Jasmine) Lanham, and 4 great-grandchildren, Cypress Ratliff, Jedi Ratliff, Thomas Hawkins, Bryce Hawkins.

We wish to thank BeeHive Homes for their love and care of our Mom for the last almost three years that she lived there.

We also want to thank Guardian Angeles Hospice for taking care of Mom the last few months of her life.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at a later date.