Newspaper Death Notices and Obituaries of Family Members:
Source: Albany Democrat-Herald (Albany, OR)
Albany Democrat-Herald (Albany, OR) published Mar. 24, 2009:
Gladys Illa (Rowley) Shaw Smith (1912 - 2009)
"Gladys Illa Rowley Shaw Smith
April 1, 1912 - March 17, 2009
Gladys Illa Rowley Shaw Smith, 96, of Sweet Home passed away Tuesday.
She was born in Winlock to Charles Wesley and Eliza Jane (Keyser) Rowley. Gladys was born on a ranch, the youngest of seven children. At the age of 7, the whole family moved into the Willamette Valley to a ranch up Wiley Creek, seven miles above Foster. She went to Moss Butte School for one year. Then her parents bought a home in Foster, where they stayed and went to school during the school year, moving back and forth. She graduated from Sweet Home High School.
Gladys married Delmer Shaw in 1936 and moved to Portland. In 1943, they moved to Spokane, where two boys were born. After a few years in Idaho and Montana, they moved back to Portland. When the boys were school age, Gladys went to work in several dry cleaning offices and as a bookkeeper for Broadway Cab. She was a den mother when the boys were in Scouts. She spent her spare time knitting and gardening. After Delmer died in 1957, Gladys moved back to Sweet Home to be near her brother and sisters.
She married Raymond Smith in 1962 and moved to Harlan near Marys Peak. They lived on a farm and enjoyed the great outdoors, farming, gardening, raising animals and making new friends. She belonged to the Grange and the Women's Association. Gladys spent many hours exploring the countryside and hills.
Raymond died in 1974 and four years later she moved to Corvallis. A year after that, she moved to Lebanon near her sister. After her sister passed away, Gladys moved back to Sweet Home. She taught 4-H knitting, was a member of Sweet Home Church of Christ, belonged to two quilting clubs, the Senior Gleaners, and enjoyed many friends, flowers and reading.
Gladys is survived by one son, Charles Shaw of Sweet Home; two blood grandchildren, Jason Shaw of California and Cherri Rose of Eugene; four stepchildren, Richard of Sutherlin, Marlene McDonald of Kings Valley, Bill of Alsea and Will of Lebanon; 16 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Her son Gene died in auto accident while in the Coast Guard in 1965.
A memorial service will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at 18th and Long Church of Christ. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements."