Gladys LaRocque, age 75, of Rolette, ND passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at Presentation Medical Center, Rolla, ND.

Gladys Marie LaRocque was born on February 17, 1945 to Isadore and Josephine (Allery) LaRocque in Belcourt, ND. She was raised in Dunseith, ND and completed her education at the Belcourt School (now Turtle Mountain Community High School), graduating in 1964. She furthered her education at the University of Mary earning a B.S. degree in social work. She attended Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho earning a M.S. degree in Guidance and Counseling. She then attended the University of South Dakota where she earned an M.E. degree in Education Administration and an Ed.D. degree in Higher Education.

She married in 1964 at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Belcourt, where she had four children from this marriage, Ella Mae Bruce-Davis of Belcourt, Jolene Ann Bruce of Rolette, Wendell James (Christyna) Bruce of Cando, and Jeanine Lynn (Stan) Hill of St. Paul, MN; and four grandchildren, Ashley Rae Davis and Peyton William Davis, daughter and son of Ella Davis, Westin Jamey Bruce and Annabella Noelle Bruce, son and daughter of Wendell and Christyna Bruce.

Gladys worked for the Standing Rock Tribe in ND as Director of the Head Start Program and later as the Dean of Student Services for the Standing Rock Community College. Then she worked for the Wahpeton Indian School as the Director of Student Affairs and Residential Dorms for eight years. Next she worked for the INMED Program at the University of North Dakota. Then she worked for the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe as the Academic Dean for the Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College. Finally, she returned to the Turtle Mountain Reservation to spend time with her elderly parents. She acquired a position with the Turtle Mountain Tribal NEW Program where she worked for 18 years with college and GED students, wonderful co-workers, and a great supervisor.

Gladys enjoyed reading, writing, cooking, baking, walking with her dogs (golden labs and german shepherds), visiting and having meals with her children and grandchildren, visiting with her brothers and sisters on the phone and/or at family reunions, birthdays, and weddings, watching western movies, and shopping at Walmart. She enjoyed visiting with people anytime and anywhere. She was very musically talented and learned to play guitar by ear at a young age, and she was a wonderful singer, entertaining many over the years with the old-style country tunes that are popular in our Michif culture.

Gladys is survived by her daughters, Ella Davis, Jolene Bruce, and Jeanine Hill; her son, Wendell Bruce; granddaughters, Ashley Davis and Annabella Bruce; grandsons, Peyton Davis and Westin Bruce; five brothers, Carris (Geraldine) LaRocque, Emil (Sandy) LaRocque, Roy LaRocque, Harvey LaRocque, and Simon (Elaine Gunville) LaRocque; sisters, Ella LaRocque and Anita (Wayne) Jansen; and sister-in-law, Val LaRocque.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Frank James LaRocque.

A Memorial Service will take place at a later date to honor the memory of Gladys.

Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND.