Gladys O. Carrigan

Gladys O. Carrigan, age 104, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, (formerly of Underwood, Iowa) passed away November 5, 2016 at Amelia Place in Council Bluffs. She and her twin sister were born in Pisgah, Iowa on August 27, 1912, to Howard and Caroline Belle (Comstock) McWilliams. She was one of eight children.

Gladys married Lawrence Carrigan and lived in the Moorhead/Pisgah area for many years. They moved to a farm east of McClelland, Iowa, in 1946. They had six children. After giving up farming, they moved to Underwood in 1960. Lawrence died in 1995, after more than sixty years of marriage. Gladys continued to live in Underwood until 2013.

She worked as a waitress at a café, a cook at the Underwood school for many years, she later worked for CHC Vending and as a cook for a nursing home in Council Bluffs.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence; daughter, Joyce Wohlers; grandson, Larry Melby; brothers, Arthur, Glenn and Howard McWilliams; sisters, Inez Johnson, Florence Eskew (twin), Edna White and Frances Alton; sons-in-law, Robert Melby and Glenn Wohlers.

Gladys is survived by her sons, Burle Carrigan (Alice), Roger Carrigan (Marjorie); daughters, Marian Melby, Marlene Merdinger (James), Elaine Bostwick (Gerald); 19 grandchildren; 41 great grandchildren; 25 great-great grandchildren; special friend, Jane Royer; many other family and friends.

Visitation is Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m., all at Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Funeral Service is Friday, 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fisher Cemetery in Underwood. Memorials may be directed to Underwood Fire and Rescue.