Gladys Mae Gilbert Mahlmeister

March 4, 1928 - October 16, 2020

OCEANSIDE, CA — Gladys Mae Mahlmeister, beloved wife and mother, passed away October 16, 2020 at the age of 92 with her daughters, at home in Ocean Hills. She was born on March 4, 1928 in San Diego where she attended Hoover High and met the love of her life, James Mahlmeister, on a blind date. Gladys’ family was the center of her life. She and Jim built a successful life together and raised a happy family of five children. She lived a full life. Full of humor, as always, she said, “I finished my bucket list and then some!”

Gladys traveled the world with Jim, living two years in Spain while he worked as a nuclear engineer for Bechtel. After retiring, they traveled extensively to research their genealogy. Over a period of ten years she and Jim traveled the US and Europe and met extended family in Germany, Alabama and Georgia. Gladys wrote four books; The Gilbert Family, The Tuggle Family, The Workman Family and The Trim and Workman History. Gladys loved to glide on the dance floor with Jim, play bridge and read. She was renowned for her cooking and was especially known for her cream puffs that hide chocolate and cream inside!

If you could choose, Gladys was a mother you would wish for. She was the true matriarch and will be missed by her daughters, their husbands, seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. A private internment was held on November 2, Jim’s birthday, at Rosecrans Military Memorial Cemetery.