Gladys Sya (Huibregtse) Labberton passed away in her sleep on June 6, 2014, in Yakima. She was 104. She grew up in Moxee, spent her adult years teaching and raising children in Wapato, and lived the last nine years in Yakima.
Gladys was born April 27, 1910, to John W. and Matilda (Jongejan) Huibregtse. She was the oldest of six children and grew up on the family's 20-acre farm east of Yakima near Moxee.
Her parents were both of Dutch ancestry. Her mother was age 2 when she immigrated with her parents from The Netherlands, and her father was the great-great grandchild of Dutch immigrants. The family farm was in the midst of a Dutch settlement and the settlers had founded the First Reformed Church, around which all activities except school were centered. The farm was diversified with fruit, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, dairy cows, chickens and a family vegetable garden.
Gladys began playing the organ in Sunday School at the age of 9, and later played in church and accompanied the choir. She attributed her optimistic nature to her father, who always took time after work and on Sundays to play with his children, and her love of music to her mother and her mother's family, all of whom loved to sing at home and church.
Gladys graduated from Moxee High School (now East Valley High School) in 1928 as valedictorian. She won a scholarship to Washington State College (now Washington State University) but had no money to attend college so she packed apples in the fall in Yakima and went to live with a family in Yakima to be a nanny to their two small girls. She saved her money and enrolled two years later in Ellensburg Normal School (now Central Washington University).
She worked for her room and board while attending college, and after two years and one quarter, she received a teaching certificate in August 1932. She was fortunate to get a teaching position in a two-room school six miles southwest of Ellensburg at Cove. There were 80 applicants for the job. She taught grades 1 through 4 there and boarded in a home about two miles from school. She walked to school except when the snow was deep; then she rode the school bus.
After one year there she moved back home to Moxee where she taught for two years at her home school in Moxee and paid room and board to her parents, which helped them during the Depression.
At age 16 and while still in high school, she met William Theodore (Ted) Labberton while he was visiting his grandmother, who lived in the Dutch settlement. Ted grew up and lived in Wapato. Ted and Gladys decided to marry on Feb. 22, 1935, but because of a statewide rule that no married women were allowed to teach, Gladys had to appear before the school board and ask permission. The school board agreed to let her complete the school term.
The couple settled in Wapato and raised four children. Gladys was a substitute teacher during World War II and accumulated enough college credits through that work that she earned a B.A. degree from CWU in 1964. Her youngest was in junior high then and she went back to full-time teaching for another 11 years at Parker Heights.
She and Ted were active members of the Wapato Community. He was a volunteer firefighter and served on the city council. She served on the city library board and also was a member of the Tillicum Literary Club, Friends of the Library and the Alpha Delta Kappa (a teachers' sorority). She was a member of the Wapato Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she was a member of the Women's Association, sang soprano in the choir, was a deacon, and taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. She also was an avid flower gardener.
Ted passed away Jan. 25, 1984, and she continued to live at the family home in Wapato until moving to High Gate in Yakima in January 2005. Even after moving to Yakima she continued to attend the Wapato Presbyterian Church most every Sunday and a church bible study held in Yakima on Tuesday mornings. She also continued to have an active social calendar with family and friends. At the age of 95, she went with her four children and their spouses to Maui, Hawaii, for a week-long-vacation. For her 99th birthday, she went on her first helicopter ride.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her five siblings: four brothers Dale, Mel, Merle and Erle, and a sister, Elsie M. Hyink. She is survived by a daughter, Linda Amsbaugh of Yakima; three sons, Loel (and Jan) Labberton of Rosalyn, Wash.; Gene (and Lorraine) Labberton of Spokane, Wash.; James (and Doris) Labberton of Richland, Wash.; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; a number of nieces, nephews and friends.
Viewing will be followed by a graveside service at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.
Gladys was born April 27, 1910, to John W. and Matilda (Jongejan) Huibregtse. She was the oldest of six children and grew up on the family's 20-acre farm east of Yakima near Moxee.
Her parents were both of Dutch ancestry. Her mother was age 2 when she immigrated with her parents from The Netherlands, and her father was the great-great grandchild of Dutch immigrants. The family farm was in the midst of a Dutch settlement and the settlers had founded the First Reformed Church, around which all activities except school were centered. The farm was diversified with fruit, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, dairy cows, chickens and a family vegetable garden.
Gladys began playing the organ in Sunday School at the age of 9, and later played in church and accompanied the choir. She attributed her optimistic nature to her father, who always took time after work and on Sundays to play with his children, and her love of music to her mother and her mother's family, all of whom loved to sing at home and church.
Gladys graduated from Moxee High School (now East Valley High School) in 1928 as valedictorian. She won a scholarship to Washington State College (now Washington State University) but had no money to attend college so she packed apples in the fall in Yakima and went to live with a family in Yakima to be a nanny to their two small girls. She saved her money and enrolled two years later in Ellensburg Normal School (now Central Washington University).
She worked for her room and board while attending college, and after two years and one quarter, she received a teaching certificate in August 1932. She was fortunate to get a teaching position in a two-room school six miles southwest of Ellensburg at Cove. There were 80 applicants for the job. She taught grades 1 through 4 there and boarded in a home about two miles from school. She walked to school except when the snow was deep; then she rode the school bus.
After one year there she moved back home to Moxee where she taught for two years at her home school in Moxee and paid room and board to her parents, which helped them during the Depression.
At age 16 and while still in high school, she met William Theodore (Ted) Labberton while he was visiting his grandmother, who lived in the Dutch settlement. Ted grew up and lived in Wapato. Ted and Gladys decided to marry on Feb. 22, 1935, but because of a statewide rule that no married women were allowed to teach, Gladys had to appear before the school board and ask permission. The school board agreed to let her complete the school term.
The couple settled in Wapato and raised four children. Gladys was a substitute teacher during World War II and accumulated enough college credits through that work that she earned a B.A. degree from CWU in 1964. Her youngest was in junior high then and she went back to full-time teaching for another 11 years at Parker Heights.
She and Ted were active members of the Wapato Community. He was a volunteer firefighter and served on the city council. She served on the city library board and also was a member of the Tillicum Literary Club, Friends of the Library and the Alpha Delta Kappa (a teachers' sorority). She was a member of the Wapato Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she was a member of the Women's Association, sang soprano in the choir, was a deacon, and taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. She also was an avid flower gardener.
Ted passed away Jan. 25, 1984, and she continued to live at the family home in Wapato until moving to High Gate in Yakima in January 2005. Even after moving to Yakima she continued to attend the Wapato Presbyterian Church most every Sunday and a church bible study held in Yakima on Tuesday mornings. She also continued to have an active social calendar with family and friends. At the age of 95, she went with her four children and their spouses to Maui, Hawaii, for a week-long-vacation. For her 99th birthday, she went on her first helicopter ride.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her five siblings: four brothers Dale, Mel, Merle and Erle, and a sister, Elsie M. Hyink. She is survived by a daughter, Linda Amsbaugh of Yakima; three sons, Loel (and Jan) Labberton of Rosalyn, Wash.; Gene (and Lorraine) Labberton of Spokane, Wash.; James (and Doris) Labberton of Richland, Wash.; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; a number of nieces, nephews and friends.
Viewing will be followed by a graveside service at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.
Gladys Sya (Huibregtse) Labberton passed away in her sleep on June 6, 2014, in Yakima. She was 104. She grew up in Moxee, spent her adult years teaching and raising children in Wapato, and lived the last nine years in Yakima.
Gladys was born April 27, 1910, to John W. and Matilda (Jongejan) Huibregtse. She was the oldest of six children and grew up on the family's 20-acre farm east of Yakima near Moxee.
Her parents were both of Dutch ancestry. Her mother was age 2 when she immigrated with her parents from The Netherlands, and her father was the great-great grandchild of Dutch immigrants. The family farm was in the midst of a Dutch settlement and the settlers had founded the First Reformed Church, around which all activities except school were centered. The farm was diversified with fruit, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, dairy cows, chickens and a family vegetable garden.
Gladys began playing the organ in Sunday School at the age of 9, and later played in church and accompanied the choir. She attributed her optimistic nature to her father, who always took time after work and on Sundays to play with his children, and her love of music to her mother and her mother's family, all of whom loved to sing at home and church.
Gladys graduated from Moxee High School (now East Valley High School) in 1928 as valedictorian. She won a scholarship to Washington State College (now Washington State University) but had no money to attend college so she packed apples in the fall in Yakima and went to live with a family in Yakima to be a nanny to their two small girls. She saved her money and enrolled two years later in Ellensburg Normal School (now Central Washington University).
She worked for her room and board while attending college, and after two years and one quarter, she received a teaching certificate in August 1932. She was fortunate to get a teaching position in a two-room school six miles southwest of Ellensburg at Cove. There were 80 applicants for the job. She taught grades 1 through 4 there and boarded in a home about two miles from school. She walked to school except when the snow was deep; then she rode the school bus.
After one year there she moved back home to Moxee where she taught for two years at her home school in Moxee and paid room and board to her parents, which helped them during the Depression.
At age 16 and while still in high school, she met William Theodore (Ted) Labberton while he was visiting his grandmother, who lived in the Dutch settlement. Ted grew up and lived in Wapato. Ted and Gladys decided to marry on Feb. 22, 1935, but because of a statewide rule that no married women were allowed to teach, Gladys had to appear before the school board and ask permission. The school board agreed to let her complete the school term.
The couple settled in Wapato and raised four children. Gladys was a substitute teacher during World War II and accumulated enough college credits through that work that she earned a B.A. degree from CWU in 1964. Her youngest was in junior high then and she went back to full-time teaching for another 11 years at Parker Heights.
She and Ted were active members of the Wapato Community. He was a volunteer firefighter and served on the city council. She served on the city library board and also was a member of the Tillicum Literary Club, Friends of the Library and the Alpha Delta Kappa (a teachers' sorority). She was a member of the Wapato Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she was a member of the Women's Association, sang soprano in the choir, was a deacon, and taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. She also was an avid flower gardener.
Ted passed away Jan. 25, 1984, and she continued to live at the family home in Wapato until moving to High Gate in Yakima in January 2005. Even after moving to Yakima she continued to attend the Wapato Presbyterian Church most every Sunday and a church bible study held in Yakima on Tuesday mornings. She also continued to have an active social calendar with family and friends. At the age of 95, she went with her four children and their spouses to Maui, Hawaii, for a week-long-vacation. For her 99th birthday, she went on her first helicopter ride.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her five siblings: four brothers Dale, Mel, Merle and Erle, and a sister, Elsie M. Hyink. She is survived by a daughter, Linda Amsbaugh of Yakima; three sons, Loel (and Jan) Labberton of Rosalyn, Wash.; Gene (and Lorraine) Labberton of Spokane, Wash.; James (and Doris) Labberton of Richland, Wash.; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; a number of nieces, nephews and friends.
Viewing will be followed by a graveside service at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.
Gladys was born April 27, 1910, to John W. and Matilda (Jongejan) Huibregtse. She was the oldest of six children and grew up on the family's 20-acre farm east of Yakima near Moxee.
Her parents were both of Dutch ancestry. Her mother was age 2 when she immigrated with her parents from The Netherlands, and her father was the great-great grandchild of Dutch immigrants. The family farm was in the midst of a Dutch settlement and the settlers had founded the First Reformed Church, around which all activities except school were centered. The farm was diversified with fruit, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, dairy cows, chickens and a family vegetable garden.
Gladys began playing the organ in Sunday School at the age of 9, and later played in church and accompanied the choir. She attributed her optimistic nature to her father, who always took time after work and on Sundays to play with his children, and her love of music to her mother and her mother's family, all of whom loved to sing at home and church.
Gladys graduated from Moxee High School (now East Valley High School) in 1928 as valedictorian. She won a scholarship to Washington State College (now Washington State University) but had no money to attend college so she packed apples in the fall in Yakima and went to live with a family in Yakima to be a nanny to their two small girls. She saved her money and enrolled two years later in Ellensburg Normal School (now Central Washington University).
She worked for her room and board while attending college, and after two years and one quarter, she received a teaching certificate in August 1932. She was fortunate to get a teaching position in a two-room school six miles southwest of Ellensburg at Cove. There were 80 applicants for the job. She taught grades 1 through 4 there and boarded in a home about two miles from school. She walked to school except when the snow was deep; then she rode the school bus.
After one year there she moved back home to Moxee where she taught for two years at her home school in Moxee and paid room and board to her parents, which helped them during the Depression.
At age 16 and while still in high school, she met William Theodore (Ted) Labberton while he was visiting his grandmother, who lived in the Dutch settlement. Ted grew up and lived in Wapato. Ted and Gladys decided to marry on Feb. 22, 1935, but because of a statewide rule that no married women were allowed to teach, Gladys had to appear before the school board and ask permission. The school board agreed to let her complete the school term.
The couple settled in Wapato and raised four children. Gladys was a substitute teacher during World War II and accumulated enough college credits through that work that she earned a B.A. degree from CWU in 1964. Her youngest was in junior high then and she went back to full-time teaching for another 11 years at Parker Heights.
She and Ted were active members of the Wapato Community. He was a volunteer firefighter and served on the city council. She served on the city library board and also was a member of the Tillicum Literary Club, Friends of the Library and the Alpha Delta Kappa (a teachers' sorority). She was a member of the Wapato Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she was a member of the Women's Association, sang soprano in the choir, was a deacon, and taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. She also was an avid flower gardener.
Ted passed away Jan. 25, 1984, and she continued to live at the family home in Wapato until moving to High Gate in Yakima in January 2005. Even after moving to Yakima she continued to attend the Wapato Presbyterian Church most every Sunday and a church bible study held in Yakima on Tuesday mornings. She also continued to have an active social calendar with family and friends. At the age of 95, she went with her four children and their spouses to Maui, Hawaii, for a week-long-vacation. For her 99th birthday, she went on her first helicopter ride.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her five siblings: four brothers Dale, Mel, Merle and Erle, and a sister, Elsie M. Hyink. She is survived by a daughter, Linda Amsbaugh of Yakima; three sons, Loel (and Jan) Labberton of Rosalyn, Wash.; Gene (and Lorraine) Labberton of Spokane, Wash.; James (and Doris) Labberton of Richland, Wash.; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; a number of nieces, nephews and friends.
Viewing will be followed by a graveside service at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.
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