Gladys Alethea Setliff
    February 7, 2007  
   Gladys Alethea Setliff, a resident of Hereford, since about 1960 died Wednesday Feb. 7, 2007 at the age of 102 years. Gladys was born at Chapel Hill, Sevier County, Arkansas, on August 4, 1904, being the third child of Ben and Alethea Setliff, who had a total of twelve children, of which only eleven grew to adulthood since the second born child, also a girl, died at only two to three months of age. The Ben Setliff family moved from Arkansas to a farm near Eldorado, Oklahoma, in 1912. Gladys finished high school in 1923 at Eldorado. Later the family moved in January 1937 to a farm near Bula, Bailey County, Texas.
   Gladys started her teaching career in the fall of 1924 after completing one year of college at Oklahoma University. retired from teaching in the spring of 1972. During those teaching years she completed correspondence courses attended summer school and in so doing attained a B.A. Degree in English in 1936 from Oklahoma University and a M.A. degree in Speech and English in 1950 from The University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colorado.
   During her teaching career Gladys sought and was approved for two very unusual assignments. In the early 1930’s she served for one school year as the teacher at a rural one room, one teacher school in the ranching country of Montana. She lived with a ranch family in the community and at times of heavy snowfall in the winter, she and the children where she lived were transported to and from school by horse-drawn snow sleigh.
   Her second unusual assignment was in 1951 while she was teaching at Hollis, Oklahoma, under an exchange teacher arrangement between the two countries, Gladys moved to Skegness, England, and taught for one school year, and a teacher from Skegness moved to Hollis and taught for Gladys during her stay in England.
Gladys Setliff has served as somewhat of a matriarch of the Setliff, family and has played a significant role in the lives of most, if not all, family members. The quote that best reflects Gladys’ enormous contributions to countless lives made inside and outside the Setliff family is: “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
   Gladys is survived by three brothers, Bennie Setliff of Amarillo, David Setliff of Lubbock, and Duane Setliff of Dallas, and a by host of nieces and nephews who are especially fond of their Aunt Gladys.
   Funeral service was scheduled for 10:30 a.m.. Saturday, February 10, at Central Church of Christ in Hereford, with graveside service at 3:00 p.m. at Littlefield, Texas. Arrangements are under direction of Hereford Heritage Funeral Home.
   In lieu of flowers the family suggests contribution to Harding University, Box 12238, Searcy, AR 72149-0001 with specific notation on check for “Gladys Setliff Scholarship Fund.”
Hereford Brand, February 11, 2007
Paid Obituary