After a courageous battle with cancer, Gladys M. Thorsell, age 74, went to meet the Lord on July 25, 2025. She was born May 3, 1951, in Grand Island, Nebraska, to Clemence and Mary (Polacek) Waskowiak. She grew up on the family farm with her three sisters near Wood River, Nebraska. Gladys attended school at District #16, a one-room schoolhouse, before graduating from Wood River Rural High School in 1969. Gladys’ greatest dream was to become a nurse, and she attended the St. Francis School of Nursing in Grand Island, NE, and graduated in June 1972. In her 51-year career as a Registered Nurse, she worked in several different hospitals, then pivoted herself to home care and long-term acute care; and finally, for the last 15 years of her career, she focused on her greatest passion, wound care.
Gladys began her career at Lincoln General Hospital in Lincoln, NE. She met Galen E. Thorsell of Chanute, KS, and was married on January 28, 1978. Later, they moved to York, NE, where they welcomed their first daughter, Regan, in March 1980. They relocated to Blue Springs, MO, and welcomed two more children, Kristin in 1982 and Jon-Edward in 1985. The family moved to Wamego, KS, in 1994, and Gladys became very active in the local community. She joined the local chapter of Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority. Gladys enjoyed the activities, the balls, and the volunteer work of the sorority, but cherished her long-lasting friendships the most. She was a regular volunteer at the Columbian Theater. She never missed her favorite show, Hoo Haw. She volunteered to usher for at least one show.
Gladys was an active member of the St. Bernard Catholic Church. She enjoyed singing in the choir, with the highlight being Christmas Eve Mass. Gladys also loved to create the outfits for the annual auction fundraisers. After retirement, Gladys volunteered in the infant and toddler room at Little Love Bugs Learning Center. Her favorite activity was holding babies for a couple of hours a day twice a week.
Throughout her life, Gladys enjoyed many different hobbies. She loved birdwatching and gardening. She demonstrated her creativity with painting, sewing, cake decorating and creating art projects for her three grandsons. Gladys was also an avid traveler. In her 20s, she traveled the world to Canada, Russia, and Europe several times. She went on several cruises and ventured to all corners of the United States with Nancy (Eickman) Richards, her close friend of 50 years, whom she met while working at Lincoln General Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska. Gladys couldn’t have been prouder of her 3 children and 3 grandsons. Besides her family, she always felt her greatest contribution to society was her nursing.
Gladys is survived by her husband, Galen; sisters, Arlene (James M.) Rea, Lincoln, NE, Linda (Edward) Braun, Cedar Rapids, NE, Carol (Dean) Seamann, Spalding, NE; daughter, Regan (Dustin) Holthaus, Wamego, KS; daughter, Kristin Thorsell, Wamego, KS; son, Jon-Edward Thorsell, Washington D.C; grandsons, Landon, Collin, and Jordan Holthaus, all of Wamego, KS; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, Clemence and Mary Waskowiak; her grandson, Skyler Joseph Holthaus (stillborn); brother-in-law, James M. Rea and sister-in-law, Catherine Thorsell. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on August 5, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Bernard Catholic Church, with Fr. Mike Peterson officiating. Inurnment will follow at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery. Gladys requested memorials be donated to the Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries, Topeka, KS, or St. Bernard Catholic Church, Wamego, KS. Online donations to the Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries can be made at the following link: https://trmonline.givevirtuous.org/Donate. Please make checks payable to the charity of your choice, and they may be sent to Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, KS, 66547.