Gladys Dalton

Gladys O. Dalton, 73, of Jackson passed away Saturday, May 1, 2010, at her home.

One of eight children, Gladys was born May 6, 1936, in Harrisburg, Ark., to Bruce Thomas "B.T." and Lollie R. Kyle Davis. She and James "Jim" Dalton were married March 16, 1968.

Gladys moved to St. Louis in 1952 at the age of 16 and went to work as an operator for AT&T. She and Jim moved to Southeast Missouri in 1969, and she continued with AT&T a total of 34 years, retiring in 1986 as a maintenance administrator. She was a member of The Pioneers, originally founded in 1911 as Telephone Pioneers of America, which has grown to be the largest industry-related volunteer organization in the world.

Gladys and Jim attended the Assembly of God churches in Advance, Mo., and Cape Girardeau.

Loving survivors include her husband of 42 years, Jim of Jackson; a brother, Seldon A. Davis of Harrisburg; four sisters, Barbara J. Davis of Harrisburg, Ellen B. Simmons of Springfield, Mo., Ann Chapman of Memphis, Tenn., and Deborah Easley of Melbourne, Ark.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, William B. Davis; and a sister, Mary L. Davis.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, with the Rev. J. D. Smith officiating.

A committal service will be held at 3 p.m. at the chapel of Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to the American Cancer Society or The Pioneers (formerly known as Telephone Pioneers of America).

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.