Gladys Mae Mueller (née Baade)

Gladys Mae Mueller (née Baade), age 97, of Chesterfield, Missouri, passed away peacefully on November 3, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones. She was the beloved wife of Arnold Mueller, with whom she shared 75 years of marriage.

Born on June 30, 1929, in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, Gladys was the daughter of Alfred and Ida Baade. She grew up in South Dakota alongside her sisters, Violet Molden (Baade), Margaret Schmidt (Baade), and Kay Knodel (Baade).

Gladys attended Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, and later continued her education at Southern Illinois University and National Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.

On February 4, 1951, Gladys married Arnold Mueller at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yankton, South Dakota. In 1954, they moved to Missouri, where they built a loving family and shared a lifetime of memories.

Faith and Service

Faith was an important part of Gladys’s life from an early age. Raised in the Lutheran church in South Dakota, she was baptized on October 23, 1929, and confirmed on June 13, 1943, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yankton. As a young woman, she became actively involved in church life, serving as an organist and teaching Bible classes. Her love of the Lord and dedication to sharing her faith would remain guiding influences throughout her life.

After moving to Missouri, Gladys became a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Ellisville. In her later years, she was a member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Chesterfield.

Gladys’s faith was more than something she believed; it was something she lived every day. Her relationship with the Lord guided the way she cared for her family, served her church, and reached out to others. Through her prayers, warm embraces, words of encouragement, and countless thoughtful acts, she made a lasting difference in the lives of many.

Gladys also expressed her love through hospitality. She enjoyed baking bread, making cinnamon rolls, and preparing meals for family and friends. Her kitchen was a place of warmth and togetherness, where cooking and baking were about much more than food; they were ways of bringing people together and making them feel cared for. She welcomed children into the kitchen, encouraged them to participate, and understood that some of life’s best memories were made in the simplest moments.

Gladys had a special gift for making people feel loved and remembered. She always made sure greeting cards reached her loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other special celebrations. Whether through a home-cooked meal, a warm embrace, a card arriving in the mail, or a prayer, she found ways to remind people that they mattered.

Above all, Gladys cherished her family. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her generosity, kindness, faith, and devotion to others created a legacy that will continue through the many lives she touched.

Family

Gladys is survived by her beloved husband of 75 years, Arnold Mueller; children, Greg and Dan (Terra); sister, Kay Knodel; ten grandchildren, Tom (Kristina), Annah (Paul), Bob (Oda), Laura (Bo), Sarah (Gideon), John, George (Jo), Jake (Justice), Addie (Alec), and Luke; and seven great-grandchildren, Isabella, Billye, Charlotte, Ash, Rowen, Fife, and Bjorn; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Ida Baade; son, Curt Mueller; and sisters, Violet Molden and Margaret Schmidt.

She will be deeply missed by her family and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her life was a beautiful example of Christian love, generosity, hospitality, and devotion to others.

Services: A private burial will be held for family. A celebration of Gladys’ life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lord of Life Lutheran Church. As a service of the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, friends may sign the family's on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.