Gladys Irene Hyatt

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Gladys Irene Hyatt, on June 25, 2025 at the age of 83.

Gladys was born in Coos Bay, Oregon on November 24, 1941 to Fred and Hattie McCarthy. Gladys was devoted to and is survived by her children Charles L. Palmer (Jeanette Palmer) and Sandra J. McClain (Jeffery McClain); her grandchildren Ryan Palmer, Corissa McClain Cox, Jimmy Justin (JJ) Palmer, Caleb McClain, and Joshua McClain; great-grandchildren Edward Palmer, Tayana Beerbower, Kayden Cox, Arya Cox, Cooper McClain, Chloe McClain, Jeffery McClain II, Benjamin McClain, and Boyd McClain; her brother Lee McCarthy (Joyce McCarthy), as well as her niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, and numerous cousins.

Gladys attended Western Washington University in 1973 with a degree in accounting, obtained her CPA license and joined the public accounting firm of John Duff and Associates, which merged with Moss Adams, LLP in 1978. In 1983, she was appointed as the firm’s Director of Services to Non-Profit Organizations, and in October 1984 became the first female partner at Moss Adams. Once she landed an Indian tribal government as a client, that became a very important focus in her career. Gladys truly loved working with the tribes, a passion that propelled her to help build a substantial, nationally-recognized tribal audit and accounting practice for the firm which included services to tribal governments as well a wide variety of proprietary enterprise operations.

After retiring from Moss Adams, Gladys just couldn’t sit still. She continued to work with private clients, she traveled the world with her children, grandchildren, and friends, and she poured her truly boundless energies into her favorite charity, Blue Skies for Children, where she served for many years as treasurer and chief whippersnapper.

Gladys will be deeply missed by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her enormous circle of friends. She was a huge part of all our lives and had a great impact on all who knew her.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Westford Funeral Home, 1301 Broadway, Bellingham, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Blue Skies for Children or Whatcom Hospice Foundation.