In Loving Memory

Gladys Annie Tolliver

Gladys Annie Tolliver was born on April 4, 1940 in a rustic farmhouse in Cedonia to Milton and Ruth Eslick. Shortly after Gladys was born the family moved to "The Peterson Place" near Marcus where they lived for a few years... and had more babies...before they settled on their farmland north of Orient on Little Boulder Creek...and had more babies. Gladys and her eleven brothers and sisters were taught from an early age to help tend the farm and each other. Gladys told stories of mornings so full of chores that sometimes they would be late for the school bus. If the milk cow didn't cooperate or other chores didn't get done on time then sometimes they would have to walk to school in Orient. One particular wood splitting incident left her with sutures holding her thumb together...she was banned from splitting wood at that point.

Gladys loved being outside. As a young girl she loved to hike in the hills behind the farm, picking wildflowers, sharing stories with her siblings and reading. She particularly loved stories about nurses and from a young age expressed that she wanted to be a nurse.

Gladys attended Kettle Falls High School along with a few of her siblings who were close in age. In 1957 her sisters Jackie and Elaine attended a dance after Jackie's graduation ceremony. It was at this dance that they met Lawrence Tolliver. Elaine and a few friends were in Lawrence's car when it was forced off of the road by a drunk driver. Elaine couldn't get home until late afternoon the following day. When Lawrence pulled up to drop Elaine off Gladys marched out of the house to meet her. She was sloshing a bucket of dirty mop water in her hand as she proceeded to give Elaine a piece of her mind for being so late. That's when Lawrence decided he liked that girl and her spunk. They married soon after Gladys graduated in 1958.

Lawrence and Gladys lived in and around the small town of Orient before they bought a tiny little house in the middle of town and settled there with Arleen, Tina and Steve. Gladys had her hands full with three small children while Lawrence worked for the Forest Service. That tiny little yard was often full of children as she cared for various nieces and nephews and neighbor kids. Around 1966 they packed up their family of three little kids and Tigger the bobtailed cat and moved into a bigger house just a few blocks away. They had another daughter, Larena, in 1967.

Gladys loved to garden. Her flower garden was a source of pride and she loved to show off her lilies and her roses. Summer days were often spent canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. She loved to paint, sew and craft, always on the lookout for the perfect piece of driftwood or tree conk. She had a knack for keeping to her tasks as a homemaker but making sure her kids had plenty of fun and adventure with trips to the river or Pierre Lake every day after the work was done. In winter there was ice skating or trips to the tiny ski hill across the border. She knew how important it was to have fun in life.

Cooking and baking were two of Gladys favorite pastimes. She could make a meal and have it on the table in record time when guests dropped by unexpectedly. She loved baking bread. A thick slice of her bread was often offered with fresh churned butter and homemade jam.

As her kids grew Gladys began volunteering her time more at the Orient School. Soon she was a school employee, working in the classrooms as a teacher's aide, sometimes working in the cafeteria and then as the financial assistant in the office, creating and implementing the budget and doing the payroll. She loved working with the kids and doing art projects with them. As the years went by she sometimes had her own grandchildren to look after on the playground when she was called back to volunteer or sub in Orient and Kettle Falls.

In the late 1970's Gladys joined forces with a handful of other community members to establish a medical clinic in Orient. The clinic opened in 1979 and remained opened until 2018. Gladys worked at the clinic off and on between 1984 and 1990. It was also during this time that Gladys started filling in at the local Post Office on a more regular basis for Marge and Fred Dahl. Gladys was like family to them both and they were so grateful to have Gladys take care of the post office and then help take care of them both as they aged. Her calling to be a nurse manifested in this way, as she was drawn to help others when they were sick or in need.

The Orient Community Church was a big part of Gladys's life. She attended church on Sunday as well as bible studies, choir practice, youth group events, VBS and of course...arranging the flowers for the pulpit. She loved her church family very much.
Lawrence and Gladys moved out of Orient around 2003 and up to the farm where Gladys grew up. They turned their focus to spending time with family and traveling. Nothing made Gladys happier than having her house full of kids and grandkids.

Gladys was preceded in death by her father Milton Eslick, brother Frank Eslick, mother Ruth Eslick , husband Lawrence Tolliver, brother Ron Eslick and her son Steve Tolliver.
She is survived by her daughters Arleen Tolliver, Larena Snyder and Carl Snyder, and Tina Tolliver Matney. Grandchildren Casey and Heidi Matney, Calin and Viv Matney, Jennifer Matney and Mike Sublie, Alex and Stephanie Snyder, Mitch and Alyssa Snyder, Riley Snyder, Kendall Snyder, Dane VandeVanter, Kurt and Amy VandeVanter, Connor and Samantha Tolliver, Ray Tolliver and Jimmy Tolliver. Numerous great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. Brothers Bruce Eslick and Kelli, Mike Eslick, Pat and Patti Eslick. Sisters Doris Martin, Jackie Delp, Elaine and Dave Meloche, Linda and Fred Reineke, Debbie and George Thomas, Kathleen and Ray Sisseck.

Gladys passed away peacefully on June 21, 2023. A family service is being held at Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville on Monday June 26 at 11 a.m., followed by a graveside service for family and friends at the Colville Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. and then a pot luck gathering for friends and family immediately following at the Ag Trade Center at the Colville Fairgrounds.

She knew how to live life big! Her smile and laughter and her caring heart will be missed by so many