Gladys “Glady” Edell Karlsen passed away on November 1st, 2025 at Warroad Senior Living Center from natural causes. She was 93 years old.
Gladys was born on December 3rd, 1932 to Herman and Alma Norquist, in Roseau, Minnesota, the youngest of nine children. She grew up and attended the local area schools in Roseau, before moving to Warroad with her mother. In the early 1950’s, Gladys was employed by the local Hartz Mercantile Store, and it was during this time she met Cappy (Carroll) Karlsen; they married in November, 1954, and had two sons, Randy and Thom.
Besides being a homemaker, Gladys, like Cappy, became a life long member of Zion Lutheran Church, and was an active participant in her ladies aid group, the Mildred Circle. Countless weddings and funerals were well-served by these groups of women, who tirelessly did the set-up, take down, and clean-up prior to, and after such events. Providing the food for the functions required working late night hours baking batches of bar cookies, and preparing multilayered sandwiches to serve at after-service receptions.
While Gladys never enjoyed day-to-day cooking, baking was something she liked, and she was good at it. Homemade pies and cookies were created without the presence of a recipe. While measuring cups and spoons were certainly staple kitchen items, memories are strong of the empty half of an egg shell being used to portion out milk, water, or vegetable oil.
If a particular season was marked by specific kitchen activity, it would be the appearance of the lefse iron and many pounds of potatoes that go into the production of multiple lefse
’rounds’ during the holidays. Like so many of the women of her generation, a perfected lefse recipe was something that was guarded. However, Gladys shared hers with anyone that requested it, and was happy to do so.
For much of her adult life, Gladys was a deeply private person; she abhorred gossip and individuals that engaged in it. Only on rare occasions would she feel comfortable displaying levity in a social setting; when it did happen, she demonstrated a wicked sense of humor along with an uncanny ability to mimic others!
As she aged, her comfort zone became smaller. Gladys maintained an immaculate household, yet rarely hosted guests or visitors. Her lifestyle was simple and she never adopted airs of grandeur or superiority. While she was headstrong and often opinionated, she never hesitated demonstrating acts of generosity and support for causes and individuals in need. At just under five-feet tall, she could be a force to reckon with. Gladys was never one to back down when taking a stance for something she strongly believed in. She was of a generation that was invested in their faith, hard work, and patriotism. While she’s left our realm and our company, somewhere there’s a spiritual domain that’s gained a Lion!
Gladys Edell Karlsen was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll “Cappy” Karlsen, four brothers and four sisters. She is survived by two sons, Randy (Laurel), and Thom (Brad; one grandson, Kristoffer (Kristen), one great-grandson, Leif, and one great-granddaughter, Kaia, along with many nieces and nephews. No services have been planned at this time.
Last modified: 11/04/2025
