FARMINGTON – Gladys Runnels Pease, 92, of Franklin Avenue, Farmington, died early Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 2, at her home.

She was born in Brownville, May 5, 1912, a daughter of Ralph B. and Fanny Willey Runnels. She was a graduate of Clinton High School, where she was class Valedictorian. She continued her education at Farmington Normal School, where she met and married Howard Pease, a local farmer.

She organized the Corn Growers Association in the 1940s, to help the farmers of Maine receive more money for their crops, and she continued to be politically active throughout her life.

Gladys was a licensed minister, and had missions in Farmington and Apache Junction, Ariz. She will be remembered for her many letters to the editor in the Franklin Journal.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Linwood and Pauline Pease of Livermore Falls; daughters, Evangeline Tartt, Sandra Webber and Gloria Wing, all of Farmington; a brother, Carlton Runnels of Fairfield; a sister and brother-in-law, Jennie and Paul Smith of Fairfax, Va.; and grandchildren, Ronald, Michael and Robert Pease, Debra Barker, Lisa Griffin, Rosemary Tope, Roberta Eaton, Eric Tartt, Sharon Halpert, Bruce Webber, Sharon Wing, Karen Dolan, Melody Fitch, Scott Chapman and Lance Chapman.

She was predeceased by her husband, Howard Pease in 1963; a brother, Everett Runnels in 1994; her sister, Hope Irwin in 2004; a son, Malcolm; a daughter, Evelyn Hurtado; and a grandson, Charles Eric Wing.

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