Gloria Royce Crosby

A striking beauty, Gloria possessed a keen mind, athleticism, and a streak of independence that occasionally got the best of her. Throughout her life she cultivated lasting friendships and earned the admiration of many for her insight, artistic eye, and delight in the pursuit of intellectual subjects – especially philosophy and history. Her sense humor was always at the ready, often surprisingly so. About a year before her death, Gloria proclaimed to her daughter: “I think I’m handling my senility quite well.” When Rebecca agreed, Gloria responded with a sly grin, “I use it to entertain others.”

In early adulthood, Gloria worked as an administrative assistant at a major department store and an advertising firm. As a reservation agent for an airline, she was offered the opportunity to transfer to Houston, Texas, where she met and married her husband, Bob Crosby. In each job she had as a young woman, her employer also received the benefit of having a high fashion model to enhance product ads at no extra salary. (A very different day and age!)

Gloria married Bob in January 1953. When their two children reached elementary school age, Gloria earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history at Lamar University in Beaumont. She also volunteered in a number of local organizations including the Magnolia Recreation Center (where she established a sizable library of books for youth), the Mental Health Association, and Trinity Methodist Church. After the family returned to Houston in 1968, Gloria enjoyed her participation and volunteer service in the American Association of University Women. She and Bob later became active in a number of church and community organizations in Houston and always stayed in touch with their former high school buddies – attending every reunion.

Gloria was preceded in death by her son, Robert, and her husband of fifty-two years, Robert Joe Crosby. She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Crosby Komkov (wife of Leon), grandsons, James and John Komkov, granddaughter Laura Komkov, great-granddaughter Emma Rose Komkov. She also leaves behind her brother Roy Arnold, sisters Katrina Joyce Van Cortlandt and Nancy Sherbert, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Gloria’s family deeply appreciates the excellent and compassionate care provided to Gloria by Brookdale Lakeway – ClareBridge Unit and Brookdale Hospice during the advanced stage of dementia. These talented and generous caregivers truly provided a surrogate family as well as the best of care during a time of difficulty and unavoidable vulnerability. Special hugs to Eden and Allison to whom we became so close. Thank you!

Should you wish to memorialize Gloria, please consider a donation to your favorite library or arts organization.

A celebration of Gloria’s life will be held at Brookdale Lakeway - Clarebridge, Thursday, November 9th at 1:30 p.m. Private burial service took place at Cook-Walden Forest Oaks on November 2nd, 2017.

Readings for Gloria's Burial on November 2, 2017

Dear God,

Filled with gratitude for having experienced in our lives the gift of God’s child, Gloria Royce Arnold Crosby, we’re here this morning to place the remnants of her earthly vessel into your good earth. To honor her memory we read two short Bible verses and a poem that she loved.

***

I heard her whisper this first one to my dad, her one and only, at the time of his death in 2005.

From the Old Testament -- Michah 6:8.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

***

The second is a poem by Emily Dickinson, one of Mom’s favorite poets – but not just because all her verse can be sung to the theme from Gilligan’s Island.

IF I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

--Emily Dickinson

***

The third verse universally is loved and is special to me because of a letter Mom wrote to me when I was age eight and attending church camp for the first time. She asked me to look up and interpret for her in a return letter I Corinthians 13. I did. She approved – mightily. It made me feel very close to her. And it continues to.

I Corinthians 13

1 If I speak in the tongues Or languages of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Feel free to join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen

Thank you, God, for my mom, Gloria. May she rest in your eternal peace and love. And thank you, God, for All our many blessings, both recognized and yet to be recognized. May Your peace be with us all.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.