Gladys Irene Nims

Daughter of Lee and Ethel Nims

Ira Gladys Perry
Ira and Gladys (Nims) Perry

Gladys Irene Nims, daughter of Lee and Ethel Nims, was born in Sumas, WA on March 30, 1903. Gladys was born in the family home four miles east of Sumas. After completing high school in Sumas she graduated from the Bellingham Normal School where she received a teaching certificate. About 1923 Gladys was teaching in the second grade at the Sumas school.

Gladys married three times. She married Cecil Edward Brown June 10, 1925 in Seattle, WA. Cecil was born August 8, 1898 in Knowlton, WI. Cecil and Gladys were divorced and she purchased and moved to a house one mile east of Sumas. Cecil died September1979 in Kodiak, AK, at age 81.

In 1934 Gladys married Ira Perry (1910 census Sumas, WA) and moved into the Perry home half a mile east of Sumas. Gladys operated a commercial raspberry planting to raise spending money. Gladys and Ira moved to Shelton in 1960 where she taught at the Pioneer School. They then moved to Concrete where she was the librarian. About 1963, Gladys and Ira moved to Mount Vernon, WA where they lived until the Ira's death in 1968.

Children of Gladys Nims
Children of Gladys Nims: Judith (Perry) Franks (left) with her husband Captain Richard B. Franks III, USCG (Ret.), Juanita (Perry) Thicksten, and Lowell Duane Brown. (Not shown: Naomi and Nelda)

Two years later, Gladys married George Robbins and the two lived in Mount Vernon until his death. She developed Parkinson's disease and lived with her daughter, Nelda, in Prosser for awhile, then moved to a retirement home in Prosser. Finally, Gladys moved into a retirement home in Mount Vernon where she lived until her death on June 15, 1992 at age 89.

Gladys and Cecil had one child. Lowell Duane Brown was born in Sumas, WA on July 21, 1928. Lowell never married or had children. He was living in Lynden, WA in 1996.

Gladys and Ira Perry had four children:

Naomi Carol PerryBorn in 1935
Judith Beryl PerryBorn in 1937. She married Richard B. Franks in 1985. Richard was born in 1942 in Grand Rapids, MI. They were living in Burian, WA in 1996. Judy did not have children.
Juanita Lee "Nita" PerryBorn in 1938. Nita married ??? Thicksten, and they had 3 daughters: Tricia, Carol, and Nelda. Tricia married Darren ???, and they had a son, Parker, and currently live in Nashville, TN. Nelda married ??? and they had 2 children.
Nelda Yvonne PerryBorn in 1940

If you have comments, corrections or additional information or pictures you would like to contribute, feel free to contact Dave Nims.