Gladys Olebile Masire
| Gladys Olebile Masire | |
|---|---|
 |
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| First Lady of Botswana | |
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In office 13 July 1980 – 31 March 1998 |
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| President | Quett Masire |
| Preceded by | Ruth Williams Khama |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Mogae |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 July 1932 |
| Died | 17 May 2013 |
| Spouse(s) | Sir Ketumile Masire |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | Tiger Kloof |
| Profession | Teacher |
Gladys Molefi Olebile Masire (30 July 1932 – 17 May 2013) was a Motswana teacher and political figure who served as the longest ruling First Lady of Botswana from 1980 until 1998.
Olebile Masire was born in 1932 in the village of Modimola, Mafikeng. She was the daughter of Fenkwane Mogwera and Mabu Mogwera. From her maternal side, she belonged to the Tawana-a-Tshidi Mina Tholo royal family. After graduating from Tigerkloof, she followed in her mother footsteps becoming a teacher for many years at Mafikeng and later at Kanye.
In the 1980s, Lula Horace, the wife of U.S. Ambassador Horace Dawson, helped Olebile Masire establish Botswana's first charity. This charity was called the Child-to-Child Foundation of Botswana, and she was a Honorary President of the Foundation in 1996.
In 1990, Olebile Masire was a member of the Mandela National Reception Committee that helped prepared for Nelson Mandela's June 1990 visit to Gaborone after his release from Robben Island.
She was married to President Sir Ketumile Masire in 1958 and had six children.
Olebile Masire was the Patron of the Special Olympics Botswana from 1989 until 2013. In the 1996/97 school year, the University of Botswana established the Lady Olebile Masire Prize in her name. This award is given to a student with the highest grades in the Faculty of Engineering.
Olebile Masire was posthumously given the Presidential Order of Honour Award in 2016 by President Ian Khama.
On 17 May 2013, Olebile Masire died at Milpark Hospital. She was buried in Kanye, Botswana, on 25 May 2013.
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