Gladys (Schneider) Weiss, 86, of Leawood, KS passed away peacefully February 11th, 2024. Born August 17th, 1937, in Montville, NJ, Gladys was the second of Sidney and Fannie Schneider’s four children.
Gladys grew up on farmland in Pine Brook, NJ. She displayed an aptitude for learning, becoming the first member of her family to attend college, matriculating to Fairleigh Dickinson University. At this time Gladys identified what would become her lifelong career—the new field of dental hygiene.
Gladys’s life changed in 1956 when she met Howard Weiss, an Air Force Serviceman and fellow student at Fairleigh Dickinson. Howard was instantly drawn to Gladys’s beautiful smile. On their first date he was smitten, when—arriving to pick up Gladys—he saw her through the front window in a red dress twirling her baton (Gladys was captain of her high school twirling team). They began dating immediately, and, upon his acceptance to a University of Buffalo master’s program, Howard said he would not depart without Gladys. They married just 10 days later in her parents’ backyard.
In following years, Gladys explored Buffalo and then Chicago when she and Howard moved for his post-graduate job. In Chicago they welcomed two daughters: Halene and Julie, before relocating to Kansas City.
Gladys’s career as a dental hygienist spanned more than 45 years. Current and former patients would greet Gladys with a hug whenever they saw her around Kansas City—quick to let her know that she was the best hygienist they’d ever had.
Gladys dearly loved animals—of all shapes and sizes, and prioritized adopting rescues.
Gladys’s greatest joy was family, seizing every opportunity to spend time with them. She shared the same smile that captured Howard’s heart years earlier and brought her biting sense of humor to every gathering. Among the gifts she gave to her family was her perspective—a rare ability to know when things were being taken too seriously, and when not enough.
Gladys is survived by her daughters Halene “Hali” Smith (Todd Miller) of Overland Park, Julie Ellis (Tim Sullivan) of O’Fallon, MO, and grandchildren, Danielle Ellis of St. Louis, Caleb Ellis (Molly McGreavy) of Brooklyn, NY, and Sydney Rose Ellis of Washington DC, her sister Elaine (Alan) Fisvitz.
Private graveside services will be held in Kansas City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to: KC Pet Project (kcpetproject.org/donate) or Wayside Waifs (https://waysidewaifs.org/donate), both no-kill rescue/adoption centers which reflect Gladys’s love of animals.
