Gladys Teresa Lepley

Gladys Teresa Lepley passed away peacefully on May 2nd, 2018. She was born in Allentown, PA in 1922 to Victoria and Joseph Kostin, who emigrated from Poland in 1913 to this country through Ellis Island. She grew up with four siblings; Stella, Joe, Jenny and Helen. Gladys was raised in Mary D, PA and she was preceded in death by her father, mother, and her four siblings. She became a member of the WWII Army Nurse Corps after attending St. Joseph School of Nursing in Reading, PA and served as a surgical nurse in the Philippines at the end of World War II. In the Philippines she met James H Lepley whom she married in 1946. She and Jim were married 62 years before Jim passed away in 2008. Together Gladys and Jim raised five children: Cyndi (Lane), Jim (Cathy), Joe, Victoria (Gary), Peter (Michael). She enjoyed her three grandchildren Kate, Kyle and Jeff, and two great grandchildren, Abby and Megan. Jim and Gladys moved to Norman, OK after the war ended and where she worked at Norman Regional Hospital as a surgical nurse while Jim finished school. After Jim finished school, they lived briefly in Midland, TX before moving to Tulsa, OK in 1946 where they started their family. Her nursing career took her to St. John Medical Center where she worked in Pediatrics on weekends. But as the children came along, she had to tell Sister Cleopha that she needed to retire! Later she volunteered as a school nurse at Bishop Kelley and served as a volunteer for several hospices. She loved her Polish heritage and her first language was Polish, her only language until she started school at age 5. Because she grew up speaking Polish, she helped as a translator for Capuchins priests and brothers from Poland who established St. Anne’s Parish in Broken Arrow. These clergymen were refugees from WW II concentration camps that had been liberated by Oklahoma soldiers. A priest who spoke only Polish came to her door one day and held up a sign written in English asking for help in learning English. Gladys was an enthusiastic golfer playing with many golfing buddies at Meadowbrook, Oaks and Cedar Ridge Country Clubs. She was a long-time member of the Madalene Parish where her children attended school. She served the parish as Home Room Mother for her various children’s classes, and as the President of the Women’s Club for several years, cooking and serving many spaghetti dinners and Men’s Club Dinner. Jim and Gladys were members of the Tulsa Chapter of the Holy Sepulcher. She enjoyed gardening, arts and crafts, crocheting and cooking, and was known for her wonderful brisket recipe. Her green thumb and artistic talents continue to inspire her children. The family would like to thank The Legends of Tulsa Hills and RoseRock Hospice for their help in caring for Gladys over the last several years and months. Visitation will be at the Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel in Tulsa, OK on Wednesday, May 9th from 1:30-3:30pm. A Rosary will be said in the Chapel at the Church of the Madalene on Wednesday, May 9th at 5:30 p.m. Her funeral mass will be offered on Thursday morning May 10th at 10:00 a.m. Donations in her memory may be made to Catholic Charities or Bishop Kelley High School. Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 918-291-3500.

Gladys Teresa Lepley

May 2, 2013 - May 2, 2018