Gladys M. Posakony passed into eternal life on January 15, 2014, after a month-long illness.
Gladys was born in Fairview, New Jersey on July 24, 1921 to Esther and William Riecke. Remarkable for her time, she learned to fly small planes and got her pilots’ license at age 14 – before she learned to drive a car! After she graduated from high school in 1938, she began working as a secretary in a variety of jobs, including at RCA, where she met her future husband, Paul R. Posakony. They were married in July 1943 and had four children: Michael (wife Adriana Pereira), Linda (husband Lawrence Rieder), Jim (wife Pamela Mellon), and Ann. Linda died of breast cancer in February 2007, and Gladys’ husband, Paul, died in January 2006 after 62½ years of marriage. Gladys has three grandchildren, Laurel Posakony, Monica Rieder (boyfriend Hunter Daniels), and Jane Rieder (husband Chris Phoenix).
Gladys and Paul moved to Ventura in February of 1965 and were active parishioners at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church ever since. Some of Gladys’ activities at Assumption included starting the parish prayer chain, work with RENEW, and early work with the Christian Service Committee. Gladys was proudest of her work with Monsignor Patrick J. O’Brien at Catholic Charities in Ventura, where she worked as executive secretary for 12 years. Gladys’ main hobby all her life was reading. She was widely read, especially enjoying biography, history, and true crime.
Family and friends are invited to visiting hours 3 to 6PM on Tuesday January 21, 2014 with Vigil Prayers at 4PM in the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME 757 E. Main Street Ventura. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held at 11AM on Wednesday January 22 in Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church 3175 Telegraph Road with Interment to follow in Santa Clara Cemetery, Oxnard. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Catholic Charities 303 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura 93001.