Gladys N. Shoop, 83, passed away Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006, at Imrnanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.

Gladys was born April 1, 1923, in Marion, S.D., to Carl and Johanna Van Enter Deckert. She grew up in Marion, where she graduated from Marion High School.

Gladys married Jay Shoop on Dec. 19, 1942, in Oklahoma City, while Jay was in training to be a pilot during World War II. After the war, they moved to Kalispell, where they owned and operated Shoop Motors for more than 40 years. She served as the business manager for Shoop Motors.

She was a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, where she served as treasurer for the church from 1974 until 1992. Gladys also was a member of the United Methodist Women, where she served as treasurer from 1954 until 1981. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi.

Gladys and Jay loved traveling, and had traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Lon Deckert; a sister, Shirley Biondi; and her husband and life partner, Jay Shoop.

She is survived by sisters, Mariam Kitchen, Beverly Myers and Lillian Mitchel; brothers, Orville Deckert, and Glade Deckert; very special friends, Clark and Carol Fontaine, Ron and Cindy Rasmussen, and Marvin and Glenda Northcutt; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at Epworth United Methodist Church. Urn burial will follow at 1 p.m. at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery.

The family request memorials be given to the Epworth United Methodist Church in Kalispell.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family,