Gloria Ione (Van Houweling) Piatt was born on Saturday; April 20, 1940 in Oskaloosa; Mahaska County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Cora and Gysbert Van Houweling. She graduated from East High School and attended Grandview College in Des Moines.

During many of the best years of her life, she enjoyed working for the Iowa State Health Department where she contributed to the ongoing success of hypertension and renal dialysis programs. In her later years she worked for the U.S. Postal Service and in retirement she loved to read and garden. She also enjoyed the frequent company of a close circle of friends, most of whom, like her, were part of the East High School Class of '58 and all of whom benefited from having known her.

She was a constant source of inspiration to all those fortunate enough to know her as she assumed the ever-changing roles of daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. As she carried her principles and integrity to the end of her days, she was known and loved by many and admired by all as she bravely fought to hold on to the life she held so dear. We are now eternally thankful for God's mercy for ending her long suffering and renewing her youthful spirit through His Grace.

Special and heartfelt thanks to the staff of the John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines and to the many others who have comforted Gloria and her family over the past several weeks and months as she battled this particularly cruel and vicious disease. Gloria Ione (Van Houweling) Piatt, 66, passed away on Saturday; January 13, 2007 at Kavanagh House in Des Moines, Iowa after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

Those left to mourn her passing are her sister, Tryna Hinckley of Green Bay; Brown County, Wisconsin. Her sons, Kenneth D. Harris III of Rapid City; Pennington County, South Dakota and Steven S. Harris of Des Moines; Polk County, Iowa. Her granddaughters, Kaylen E. Harris of Omaha; Douglas County, Nebraska and Jordan A. Harris of Overland Park; Johnson County Kansas and her grandsons Steven S. Harris II of Pittsburg; Crawford County, Kansas. Kenneth D. Harris IV, Schuylar D. Harris and Mason A. Harris of Rapid City, South Dakota and her close personal lifelong friend, Sherry Easter of Des Moines; Polk County, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, David M. Piatt; mother, Cora Van Houwelinge of Des Moines; father, Gysbert Van Houweling of Pella, and infant grandson, Patrick V. Harris of Overland Park, Kansas. May they rest in peace.

Visitation is from 10:00 until 11 a.m. Saturday; January 20, 2007 preceding the funeral service and there will be a period of refreshment, fellowship and reflection at Westover Funeral Home immediately following interment. Memorials may be made to the East High School Foundation Class of 1958 Scholarship.