Gladys (Hortie) Davenport (Wilson)

Gladys was born on July 8th, 1928, in Grande Prairie, Alberta to Lillian and Hector Hortie. Gladys had 4 siblings: Hector, Cora (Molstad) Paul and Bill.

The Hortie family lived on a farm near Prestville, Alberta. After Gladys finished grade one in the local one room school house, they moved to Edmonton, where she completed her schooling.

Shortly after her high school graduation, Gladys was hired to work on the wards at the Charles Camsell hospital in Edmonton. John Wilson was a patient at the hospital and the two began a romance and were married June 11, 1948.

The couple lived on a farm near Hayter for a short time, but had to return to Edmonton, because of John’s health concerns. They settled in the Bonnie Doon area of Edmonton, and their first three children, Stan, Ken, and Lynda were born.

The family moved to a farm outside of Lacombe, and during their time there the couple were blessed with the birth of their third and fourth sons, Paul and Mark.

In 1955, Gladys and John purchased the farm outside of Mirror, Alberta. In 1956 Judith was born. In 1959 the family moved into the house in Mirror and that same year, their youngest daughter Tina was born.

While in Mirror, Gladys was an active member of the Women’s Auxiliary, the Mirror Curling Club and the Woman’s Institute. She coached boy’s baseball, directed numerous Christmas concerts, and supervised teen dances.

Gladys worked in the dietary department at the Deer Home Institute in Red Deer, and later ran the kitchen at the Red Deer Legion.

Gladys and Jim Davenport married in July 1993. They purchased a home in Ponoka and both were extremely active in the Ponoka Legion. Gladys held several executive positions in the Legion, including President. She volunteered in the food services department of the Legion, and helped with the catering of innumerable banquets. She worked on the Poppy Fund for many years, and one of her favourite volunteer jobs was organizing the children’s poster and literary contests for Remembrance Day.

Gladys worked in the payroll department at Alberta Hospital Ponoka until her retirement.

Gladys and Jim enjoyed camping and spending time with their friends and family.

Gladys traveled in her later years, with a cruise to Alaska, a trip to the East Coast to visit family, and a life long dream was realized when she went on a European cruise with her good friends, Stan & Glenda Orlesky and Denise Bos.

Gladys will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her many friends in the Ponoka area.

Gladys was  predeceased by husbands John Wilson and Jim Davenport.

A Memorial Service will be held to celebrate Gladys' life at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Ponoka Funeral Home with a Memorial Reception following in the fellowship hall at the Ponoka First Baptist Church.

Memorial donations are gratefully accepted to The Poppy Fund (Royal Canadian Legion, Ponoka Branch #66) or to any charity of your choice.

Gladys' Family:

Stan and Barb Wilson

Daughter: Stacey & Charles Lemay, son Luc Lemay

Daughter: Robyn & Ryan Benoit, sons Evan and Cameron Benoit

Joe Sigurdur and wife Michele

Daughter: Jennifer Sigurdur-Felix, husband Cliff and daughter Cadence

Daughter: Tanya Sigurdur Arnold, husband Clay Arnold, daughter Julia and son Tristan

Daughter: Shannon Sigurdur

Ken Wilson and Barb Johnson

Lynda Wilson

Son: Blake Wilson & fiancé Rachelle Ditzian

Daughter: Brandi-Lee Morrison, husband Jeff Morrison, their son Rayne and daughter Grace

Paul Wilson and Elizabeth (predeceased)

Daughters: Emily (George) and Sarah

Mark and Barb Wilson

Daughter: Leah Wilson

Son: Elliott and Maggie Wilson and daughter Olenna

Judith and Thomas Valleau

Daughter: Nicole Valleau

Son: Dustan and Carrie Hlady, their sons Reese and Cohen

Daughter: Deanna & Matt Vaughn, their daughter Anastasia

Son: Christian & Rachel Valleau & their son Quinton

Son: Kenneth Valleau and fiancé Kaitlin Schmitz

Tina and Dennis Dmytryshyn

Son: Adam and Daughter: Jenny

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