Gloria Mae Thvedt

Gloria Mae Thvedt 92, of Brookings, SD passed away Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Peaceful Pines Assisted of Brookings, SD.

Memorial services have been set for 2 p.m. Friday, June 12, 2026, at Ascension Lutheran Church, Brookings, SD. Memorial visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the time of the services. The family suggests memorials be directed to Feeding Brookings. Rude’s Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Gloria was born in Crookston, Minnesota to Evelyn and GM Hermodson, the middle of three daughters. She attended elementary school in Beltrami, MN, and high school in Fertile, MN.

Prior to attending Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, Gloria worked at a medical clinic in Crookston, MN for one year. Gloria attended Concordia College for three years and met her future husband, Jim, during her freshman year. She taught first grade in Balaton, MN for one year. Gloria married Jim on June 1, 1955 in Beltrami, MN. They moved to Saint Paul where Jim attended Luther seminary and Gloria taught school in nearby Lauderdale and then at Circle Pines.

Gloria and Jim had six children over the next seven years. They moved to Newcastle, Wyoming and then to Sisseton, South Dakota. As their children grew older, Gloria returned to the classroom; teaching Headstart, kindergarten, and first grade for 14 years in Sisseton. While in Sisseton, Gloria received her Bachelor of Arts from Black Hills State University.

They moved to Brookings in 1981. Gloria taught at Hillcrest Elementary School and received her Master of Arts in Education from South Dakota State University. After having taught for 32 years, she retired in 1996.

After retirement, Gloria and Jim served Lutheran parishes in Seoul, Korea; Cairo, Egypt; Copenhagen, Denmark; Wittenberg, Germany, and went back one more time to Seoul before retiring for good to Brookings. Gloria taught children at Seoul Foreign School and taught many adults in English as a second language at all the locations they served overseas.

Gloria loved teaching, especially teaching reading, and drew great satisfaction from helping students learn. She was, herself, a lifelong learner, with a variety of interests. In retirement she enjoyed volunteering at the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, but especially she cherished gardening with Jim. She retained a lively social interest and involvement with neighbors, relatives, and through the parishes she and Jim served and attended through the years.

Gloria and Jim were married for 69 years. She is preceded in death by her husband and her son, Joel.

Gloria is survived by five of her six children: Jim (Rebecca) of Minneapolis, MN, Kristin of Brookings, SD, Jonathan (Joyce) of Beresford, SD, Karen (Daniel) Oie of Kenmore, WA, and Joseph (Tami) of Brookings, SD. Gloria had 17 Grandchildren and 12 Great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her two sisters: Deloryce Bertils of Fertile, MN and Janet Hoiberg of Park Ridge, IL.

Gloria died peacefully at Peaceful Pines Senior Living in Brookings. Blessed be the memory of Gloria H. Thvedt.