As received from the Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service. If you have questions about, or potential corrections to the content, please contact the funeral home directly.
Gladys Elaine Perttunen a resident of Lansing and former Winona resident, passed away on June 13, 2026, while vacationing in Florida.
She was born in Winona, Michigan to Edward and Martha (Savikoski) Manninen on January 30, 1936.
Gladys had the typical small farm community life until moving to Detroit with her family. She graduated from Central High School in Highland Park and began working as a comptometer operator at the A&P offices.
She met her husband, Harry Perttunen, and they were united in marriage on October 1, 1955. They raised four sons and a daughter in Highland Park, Farmington and Howell, Michigan. After Harry’s death in 1987 Gladys moved to Walled Lake. There she met many friends in her new community. She lived in Lansing for the last ten years.
Gladys worked many years in retail positions, and it culminated with her dream job at Hallmark Cards prior to retirement.
During retirement, Gladys had many interests and activities including writing her memoir, poetry writing, watching theater, lighthouses, hot air balloons, and flower gardening. One of her biggest thrills was going on a hot air balloon ride. Her favorite holidays were Thanksgiving and Christmas as the family would get together.
Also, Gladys enjoyed traveling as much as possible, including cruises with her sister Kathy and her husband Alan Briscoe. Gladys enjoyed exchanging letters/cards and talking on the phone with friends. She corresponded with an old A&P coworker and a pen pal from ‘Grit’ days.
She was predeceased by her parents, husband Harry, sons Russell and Dwayne, brother and sister-in-law Wesley (Marilyn) Manninen, brother-in-law Alan Briscoe, and several nieces and nephews.
Gladys is survived by sons Jeffrey Perttunen and Darryl Perttunen, daughter Lori (Fritz) Esslair, daughter-in-law June Perttunen, grandson Jason (Irene) Perttunen, great-grandchildren Emma and Elliot, granddaughter Amy Perttunen, sister Kathy Briscoe, and many friends and relatives.
A memorial service for Gladys will be held 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at the Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Mt. View Chapel of South Range, with Rev. Bucky Beach to officiate. Friends may call on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 12:00 noon until time of services at the Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Mt. View Chapel of South Range.
Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Greenland, at 11:00 am on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
To view Gladys’ obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.memorialchapel.net.
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