Bill and Gloria Hartshorn

Last Tuesday morning, a bugle sounded a soulful rendition of “Taps” through the Chattanooga National Cemetery. It was a beautiful day for a family ceremony celebrating the amazing lives of Gloria Wallace Hartshorn and William "Bill" McCutcheon Hartshorn who, after 76 years of happy marriage, having devoted themselves to three children, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren – and blessed with so many close friends– are at peace in the arms of their loving Lord.

Gloria had passed away first, peacefully, on June 30, 2023, at Alexian Village near the brow of Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Bill followed Gloria a few months later on November 15, departing with the same canyon view that they shared during the last chapter of their lives. Her days spanned 96 wonderful years of love, Faith, and friendships; Bill enjoyed a century of life defined by his service to God, to Country, and to all who came to know him.

Gloria was born on January 27, 1927, in New York City, where her mother's career in fashion design instilled a love for artistry and elegance; this was to become a lasting hallmark of the beauty that she brought to her every endeavor: From painting, gardening, and crafts, to the exquisite decorum that she imparted to her friends and family as a hostess and homemaker. She graduated with a Degree in Fine Arts from Colby College in New Hampshire. It was while there that she met Bill… and they began a whirlwind romance that became a love for the ages.

Bill was born and raised in Kensington, Maryland, attending Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., before entering Dartmouth College. At the outset of World War II, Bill enlisted and bravely served in England with the US Army Air Force as a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot. He flew with the 56th Fighter Group, also known as “Zemke’s Wolfpack”, which became the highest-scoring U.S. unit flying over Nazi-occupied Europe. In September 1944, during Operation Market Garden – a mission resulting in the Group’s highest losses of the entire War – Bill was shot down by enemy gunfire. He sustained a serious injury, parachuted to safety, and spent months recovering before his return as a decorated veteran to peacetime life in America.

Shortly thereafter, Bill met Gloria. Their lives became deeply intertwined from the moment they met at neighboring Dartmouth and Colby colleges, and they married on July 25, 1947, beginning a union that brought their three beloved children into the world: Beverly Ann, Sandra Lee, and William David. While Gloria established hearth and home for their growing family, Bill began a successful career in sales. Life took a dramatic turn, however, when Bill was suddenly called back to military service in the Korean War – and Gloria single-handedly parented their children until his return.

Gloria and Bill were happily reunited, and they picked up where they had left off, delighting in raising their family in Atlanta, Georgia and on Signal Mountain, as well as taking part in numerous social and community activities. Gloria became an award-winning gardener (not to mention accomplished bridge player), while Bill – with Gloria by his side – took top prizes in competitive sailboat races at Chattanooga’s Privateer Yacht Club, where he eventually became Commodore. It was around this time that Bill’s company, Carpenter Steel, recognized him with the "Golden Ingot Award" for outstanding performance of his duties.

Such achievements pale, however, when compared to the central focus of Bill and Gloria’s lives: Their shared Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Their Faith was a constant. It gave shape and direction to their lives, guiding their actions and inspiring all who knew them. This was never more apparent than in their more than 50 years of support for the ministry of Ben Haden at Chattanooga’s First Presbyterian Church, where they were a source of spiritual fulfillment and helped establish a community of lasting fellowship.

To know Gloria and Bill was a gift, and they will be missed. Gloria had a beautiful heart and a glorious spirit. Her grace, warmth and devotion touched everyone she met, making a lasting impact. Bill’s legacy is a life marked by steadfast commitment to his beliefs, his family, and his friends. And he was, quite literally, a hero. But together… Gloria and Bill Hartshorn were so much more: They exemplified a partnership that was founded in the shared belief that there is something greater. Through their example, those who had the good fortune to know them may take comfort in God’s promise of a love that will last forever.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Presbyterian Church in memory of Bill and Gloria Hartshorn.