Gladys Rod

November 26, 1930 - May 23, 2019

Gladys Musil Rod peacefully departed this world on May 23, 2019, surrounded by her loving family. Gladys was born on November 26, 1930 to Ettie Slovacek and Frank J. Musil, Sr. in Stamford, Texas. Her father was an immigrant from Czechoslovakia. She graduated from Stamford High School in 1948, and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she majored in Home Economics. In college, she met the love of her life, Gilbert Frank Rod, while both were members of the Czech Club. The couple was married on June 8, 1950, and they were blessed with seven children. She often bragged that all of her children graduated from St. Philip Catholic School, and that one year she had a child in every grade there but the second. While her children were growing up, Gladys enjoyed sewing clothes for her small daughters, working the concession stand at Little League games, volunteering in PTC projects at St. Philip’s School, and cooking and caring for her large family. After her children were grown, she enjoyed her time with the Catholic Daughters of America, the Czech Heritage Society of Wharton County, and singing with the Czech Heritage Singers and the St. Philip’s Church Lazarus Choir. She also enjoyed a trip to Czechoslovakia with her sisters, writing her own family history stories, and mowing and picking up twigs and pecans in her yard in the heat of the day. She is survived by her son Wayne and his wife Carol of Cincinnati, Ohio; daughter Phyllis Mokry and her husband Ben of Jackson, Mississippi; son Douglas and his wife Kerri of Arlington, Texas; son John and his wife Marcha of Archdale, North Carolina; daughter Cynthia Paugh and her friend Steve Woodruff of Houston, Texas; and daughter Julie Strnadel of El Campo, Texas; 21 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, her sister Lillie Musil Nichols of Arlington, Texas, and her brother Leon of Rogers, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter, Carol; her son-in-law, Bobby Strnadel; her grandson, Jason Paugh; her brothers, Emory, Joseph, and Frank Musil; and her sisters, Ettie Musil Jesko and Ruby Musil. Gladys was very proud of her Czech heritage, the Stamford Hatchery (her family’s business), and her ability to recycle and reuse items before the trend became popular. Her children and grandchildren will always remember her Thanksgiving dressing, Jello salad, pecan bars, “squishy” sandwiches, fried oysters, fried okra, and fried biscuit donuts, her life lessons, her warm smile, and her quick wit and infectious laugh. Visitation will be from 5-7pm on Friday, May 24 at Triska Funeral Home. Services for Gladys Rod will be held on Saturday, May 25 at St. Philip Catholic Church, with a Rosary at 9:30am followed by the Funeral Mass at 10am. Interment will be at Holy Cross Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be grandsons Dan Constanza, Tim Mokry, Brent Paugh, Daniel Rod, Nicholas Rod, and Robby Strnadel. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Philip’s Catholic School, El Campo Little League, or Houston Hospice. The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Meridian Assisted Living, Garden Villa Health Care Center, and El Campo Memorial Hospital for the wonderful care and love they showed our mother during her stay in their facilities. Triska Funeral Home, El Campo, 979-543-3681