Left To Right- Olive Skindrud, Gladys Martin, Irene and Otto Gilbertson
Gladys Martin, Society Founding Member
Passes Away
Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society founding member, Gladys Martin passed away Dec. 21, 1998, at age 93.
When asked in December 1974 whether we should try to form a local historical society, Gladys, then Mt. Horeb's librarian, answered with an enthusiastic yes!, recalled Brian Bigler. She encouraged waiting until after Christmas, and she then called a group of people whom she knew might be interested. An ad went in the Mt. Horeb Mail, and the 15 who responded held the Society's first organized meeting March 6, 1975.
Gladys gave many years to the Historical Society Board and was primary organizer of the first exhibits, placed in the library, located where the east end of the Mt. Horeb Telephone Company is now. Along with Christine Helmenstein, Gladys was one of the Society's first curators. She coordinated with the Dane County Historical Society the erection of a marker at the Union Cemetery, dedicated to the story of the original, Old Town Mt. Horeb. She served on the committee responsible for writing the 1986 History of Mount Horeb and drew on her extensive knowledge of Old Town to draft the maps used by the books cartographer. Though long-time Society members recall a tenacious perfectionist, future generations will best remember Gladys as the visionary during the Society's developmental years.
Gladys was born Oct. 31, 1905 at Mt. Horeb, the daughter of Henry and Regina (Solvia) Gier, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin. Besides her dedication to the Society, she was involved with the Dane County Historical Society, Badger Girls State, Mt. Horeb Garden Club, Order of Eastern Star, and Mt. Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church. Her sister, Mildred Staron, and husband, local stock buyer Louie Eugene Martin, both preceded her in death. She was buried Dec. 23 in the Union Cemetery, in which her Old Town historical marker stands. Survivors include three nieces Jean Slusser, Dorothy Staron and Susan Ruether two great nieces, three great-great-nieces, and a great-great-nephew.