Gladys M. Nye

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Gladys M. Nye, 92, of Miller and formerly of Pierre, passed away Monday, November 3, 2025, at the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller.  Gladys Marie Nye, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-grandmother, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and friend, passed away comfortably and peacefully surrounded by love, family, and cherished memories.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 8, 2025, at the Community Church of St. Lawrence, with Rev. Jim Hofman and Nathan Nye officiating. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blunt.

She was born on January 6, 1933, in Ree Heights, South Dakota, to Thomas and Fay Melvin.  Gladys grew up close-knit family alongside her siblings— Elizabeth, Della, Elsie, Orr (“Bud”), and Lou— as the second youngest of the Melvin children. In her primary school years, she attended Ree Heights Elementary and later graduated from Pierre High School. During her high school years, Gladys lived above a local bakery, where she worked and developed a lifelong appreciation for baking.

It was during her youth in Canning, South Dakota, that she met the love of her life, LeRoy Delmar Nye. The two were married on October 5, 1952, and began their life together on the family farm in Canning. Their loving marriage blossomed into a beautiful family of five children: Alan, Leann, Thomas, Lori Ann, and Donnie.

Throughout her life, Gladys was known for her strong work ethic and kind heart. She worked for many years at the South Dakota State Capitol, and later found great joy in her role as the cook at Head Start, where she combined her passion for nourishing others with her love for children.

After fifty wonderful years on the farm, Gladys and LeRoy retired and moved to Pierre. There, she rekindled her lifelong love of sewing—creating countless beautiful, unique quilts that reflected her creativity and warmth. In November of 2018, Gladys relocated to Miller, South Dakota, where she enjoyed her final years surrounded by new friends, some family, and the welcoming Miller community.

Gladys will be lovingly remembered for her joy in life’s simple pleasures—puzzles, cards, bingo, and her famously delicious caramel rolls and custard rhubarb pies. She took immense pride in her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild, always boasting of their accomplishments and cherishing every moment spent together. Her sharp wit and competitive spirit made every card game a lively affair.

Gladys is survived by her sons: Thomas and wife Karen of Aurora, Colorado, Donnie and wife Debbie of St. Lawrence, South Dakota; her sister, Lou of Missouri; twelve grandchildren; twenty-six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Fay Melvin; her beloved husband, LeRoy; her children: Alan, Leann, and Lori Ann; and her siblings: Elizabeth, Della, Elsie, and Bud.

Gladys’s life was one filled with love, laughter, and dedication to family. Her kindness, strength, and warmth will continue to live on in all those whose lives she touched.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Gladys’ arrangements.