Aldena Gladden

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. On May 27, 2015 Aldena (Nee Powell) Gladden, a most elegant and gracious women, affectionately known as Dean, went home to be with the Lord. She was born on October 22, 1925 to the late Lena (Nee Boyd) and the late Joe Powell in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Her mother passed away about two weeks after her birth and she was raised by her loving maternal grandparents. Tiny (Nee Hendricks) and Jeff Boyd. At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, was baptized in a river and attended Good Hope and Holly Grove Churches. She was educated in the public schools in Virginia and remained a life-long learner even after relocating to Baltimore, Maryland. In Baltimore, as the first grandchild, she was surrounded by the love of her adoring aunts and uncles, Rebecca, Aline, William, Reuben and Percy. Aldena loved to sing and for many years she sang with several choirs at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries under the leadership of Pastor Clifford M. Johnson , Jr She was also an amateur gardener, a profile reader, an avid sports fan, and an unpaid political analyst. Aldena's humor , wit and wisdom endeared her to family, friends and neighbors. She was gifted with making everyone feel wanted and special; considered by many the “Mother Theresa” of Rutland Avenue. As the wife to Thelmon and a mother to eight children and many others, Aldena spent countless hours in the kitchen. She was an undisciplined cook, followed no recipes, more “hit and Miss” and therefore when something was exceptionally good, she could not determine what made it so. However, her signature dishes included; homemade ice cream, anything with dumplings (chicken, blackberries, and apples); puddings (corn bread, and banana); turkey and dressing. Due to much multitasking while cooking, food often burned, especially at Christmastime. Her children loved celebrating Christmas and without fail she knew how make it both magical and spiritual . Preparing beds with fresh linen on Christmas Eve is a tradition they treasure and maintain to this day. Although having a large family kept her busy, she enjoyed going places and conversing on a variety of subjects with relatives, neighbors, strangers, and friends, particularly her two friends from childhood, the late Irene Tanner and Evelyn Bracey. A highlight of her travels was vacationing Europe with her daughter Phylethia.Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. On May 27, 2015 Aldena (Nee Powell) Gladden, a most elegant and gracious women, affectionately known as Dean, went home to be with the Lord. She was born on October 22, 1925 to the late Lena (Nee Boyd) and the late Joe Powell in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Her mother passed away about two weeks after her birth and she was raised by her loving maternal grandparents. Tiny (Nee Hendricks) and Jeff Boyd. At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, was baptized in a river and attended Good Hope and Holly Grove Churches. She was educated in the public schools in Virginia and remained a life-long learner even after relocating to Baltimore, Maryland. In Baltimore, as the first grandchild, she was surrounded by the love of her adoring aunts and uncles, Rebecca, Aline, William, Reuben and Percy. Aldena loved to sing and for many years she sang with several choirs at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries under the leadership of Pastor Clifford M. Johnson , Jr She was also an amateur gardener, a profile reader, an avid sports fan, and an unpaid political analyst. Aldena's humor , wit and wisdom endeared her to family, friends and neighbors. She was gifted with making everyone feel wanted and special; considered by many the “Mother Theresa” of Rutland Avenue. As the wife to Thelmon and a mother to eight children and many others, Aldena spent countless hours in the kitchen. She was an undisciplined cook, followed no recipes, more “hit and Miss” and therefore when something was exceptionally good, she could not determine what made it so. However, her signature dishes included; homemade ice cream, anything with dumplings (chicken, blackberries, and apples); puddings (corn bread, and banana); turkey and dressing. Due to much multitasking while cooking, food often burned, especially at Christmastime. Her children loved celebrating Christmas and without fail she knew how make it both magical and spiritual . Preparing beds with fresh linen on Christmas Eve is a tradition they treasure and maintain to this day. Although having a large family kept her busy, she enjoyed going places and conversing on a variety of subjects with relatives, neighbors, strangers, and friends, particularly her two friends from childhood, the late Irene Tanner and Evelyn Bracey. A highlight of her travels was vacationing Europe with her daughter Phylethia. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. On May 27, 2015 Aldena (Nee Powell) Gladden, a most elegant and gracious women, affectionately known as Dean, went home to be with the Lord. She was born on October 22, 1925 to the late Lena (Nee Boyd) and the late Joe Powell in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Her mother passed away about two weeks after her birth and she was raised by her loving maternal grandparents. Tiny (Nee Hendricks) and Jeff Boyd. At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, was baptized in a river and attended Good Hope and Holly Grove Churches. She was educated in the public schools in Virginia and remained a life-long learner even after relocating to Baltimore, Maryland. In Baltimore, as the first grandchild, she was surrounded by the love of her adoring aunts and uncles, Rebecca, Aline, William, Reuben and Percy. Aldena loved to sing and for many years she sang with several choirs at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries under the leadership of Pastor Clifford M. Johnson , Jr She was also an amateur gardener, a profile reader, an avid sports fan, and an unpaid political analyst. Aldena's humor , wit and wisdom endeared her to family, friends and neighbors. She was gifted with making everyone feel wanted and special; considered by many the “Mother Theresa” of Rutland Avenue. As the wife to Thelmon and a mother to eight children and many others, Aldena spent countless hours in the kitchen. She was an undisciplined cook, followed no recipes, more “hit and Miss” and therefore when something was exceptionally good, she could not determine what made it so. However, her signature dishes included; homemade ice cream, anything with dumplings (chicken, blackberries, and apples); puddings (corn bread, and banana); turkey and dressing. Due to much multitasking while cooking, food often burned, especially at Christmastime. Her children loved celebrating Christmas and without fail she knew how make it both magical and spiritual . Preparing beds with fresh linen on Christmas Eve is a tradition they treasure and maintain to this day. Although having a large family kept her busy, she enjoyed going places and conversing on a variety of subjects with relatives, neighbors, strangers, and friends, particularly her two friends from childhood, the late Irene Tanner and Evelyn Bracey. A highlight of her travels was vacationing Europe with her daughter Phylethia. She was preceded in death by her husband Thelmon Gladden, her daughter Phylethia (Nee Gladden) Lee, Two brothers: James Powell and willie Lee Powell, and step – mother, Vernice Overby and her son Rick Overby. Left to cherish her memory children; Elmo Gladden (Gloria), Jo Anne G. Montgomery (Aaron), Shirley L. Gladden, Lena Gladden, Sarah Gladden Thaniel (Thomas), Alfred P. Gladden, Loretta Gladden-Reddy; Step-son Glenn R. Chappell (Denise) Eleven grandchildren: Carl (Tanya), Anesha, Bridgette (Kevin), Percellis (Koketa) Antoine, tiffany, Shawn (Nghi), Karrin (Bryan), Katrina, Chaz and martin; and step-grands: Karron (Thomas), Glenn, Jr. Shanna (Michael), Ayana ,Maia and Moses (Crystal) seventeen great-grandchildren: Erica, Breauna Kiarah, Darius, Darien, Dante', Christopher, Jordan, Berdella, Akala, Antoine, Jr. Breon, Christian, Kenyi, Ximar, Appollo and Lorenzo, Four brothers: Fred Powell, Elbert Powell, Sr. (Normandy), Valton Powell and Les Powell. Four sisters: Elvia Powell, Gladys Lewis, (Robert), Margaret Powell and Linda overby; and three sisters-in-laws: Vera Gladden, Jessie Gladden and Gertrude Gladden; goddaughters, Peggy and Anita; and a host of other relatives, neighbors and friends. Having faith that all things work together for the good to those that love God, we must now accept that you fought a good fight, you finished your course, you kept the faith and there is a crown awaiting you. God be with you. We will miss you. Lovingly Submitted, the Gladden Family

Tributes

Aldena Gladden

October 22, 1925 - May 27, 2015