Gladys Ione Smith

Gladys Ione (Wastweet) Smith, 94, passed away Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Bethany Retirement Home in Fargo, ND.

Gladys was born on August 7, 1932, to Harry and Emma (Martinson) Wastweet in Crookston, MN. The family moved to Gary, MN in 1939 where she graduated from Gary High School in 1950.

Following graduation, Gladys worked as a secretary at the high school. She then attended Midland Airline and Technical College in Kansas City, MO. She attended Patricia Stevens Modeling School in Chicago which was a charm and modeling school to learn the importance of personal appearance and proper behavior.

Gladys started working for Western Airlines in Fargo, where she met Ralph Smith. They married on June 25, 1960, in Nashua, IA at the Little Brown Church.

Soon after they married, they moved to Bloomington, MN, with their three children: Galyn, Kandy, and Steve.

She attended the Ern Westmore School of Beauty in Los Angeles, CA, and began working for Holiday Magic Cosmetics. She traveled all around the country teaching women the importance of cosmetics.

After working with cosmetics, they began farming at their family farms in Fargo and Pillsbury, ND. They later moved to Ada, MN, where they farmed for a few years. They moved back to the family farm in Fargo. She then attended Mr. Don’s School of Cosmetology. After graduating she was a stylist in Fargo.

She was preceded in death by her parents Harry and Emma Wastweet; husband Ralph Smith; son Galyn Smith; grandson Tyrel Smith; and siblings Evelyn Wastweet, Alton (Twyla) Wastweet, Elda (Walter) Ranz, Verla (Kenneth) Johnson, Vincent (Mary Ann) Wastweet, and Arlan Wastweet.

Gladys is survived by her children Steve (Kristin) Smith of West Des Moines, IA, and Kandy Heiman (Bob Hop) of the Twin Cities, MN; sister Jan (Dick) Koski of Fargo; daughter-in-law Cindy Smith of Fertile, MN; sister-in-law Carol Wastweet of TX; as well as six grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

Gladys will be laid to rest beside her husband, Ralph, at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.