Gloria was born Nov 2, 1935 in Gainesville, FL to Nellie and JD Willis. She graduated from South Broward High School in Hollywood, FL in 1953. After high school, she enlisted in the US Air Force and served her country from 1957 to 1959. While in the service, she met the love of her life, Teddy Joe Anderson. They were married in New Jersey on May 16, 1959 and then spent the next 20 years moving around the country wherever the Air Force transferred Ted. Those moves included Florida, Texas, Illinois, and New Mexico. During those years they had their five children: Becky, Sue, Kyle, Don and Judy. Several times she raised them as a single parent when Ted was sent overseas on temporary duty.
After 20 years, Ted retired from the Air Force and they bought their small farm in Florida. Gloria could not wait to get chickens, calves, and pigs…a racoon! She loved turning her kids into country bumpkins! During their time in Florida, Gloria became a school bus driver and enjoyed it immensely. She would sign up to drive the bus for her kid’s field trips even. After several years of struggling on the farm, Gloria and Ted packed up the kids and moved to Colorado.
In Colorado, Gloria and Ted discovered the joys of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. They would hike, camp, fish and cross country ski a lot of their weekends. Then they discovered motorcycles! After that, if the sun was shining, they were down the road. Gloria even had her very own bike! In 1991, they took the vacation of their dreams. They joined several friends and took a cruise to Alaska with the bikes on board. They rode the bikes back to the United States down the Alaskan Highway. The stories they shared when they returned are incredible!
Gloria learned to excel on another type of bike, as well. In 1992, she decided she would ride in the MS150, a 150-mile bike ride fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation at the age of 56!! Her proudest moment, for her and her family, was when she crossed that finish line after two days pedaling with her daughter, Becky, right beside her.
After they both officially retired, Gloria and Ted bought an RV and spent the next 14 years driving the highways and exploring the country. They would eventually spend their winters at the Desert Gold RV Resort in Arizona, where Gloria learned to love the desert, especially after the rains when the entire desert would bloom. In 2014, after Gloria’s diagnosis, they settled back in Colorado.
Mom was always the happiest when she was surrounded by her family or on a road trip with Ted.
Gloria is survived by her husband of 60 years and five months, Ted. Daughter Becky and her partner Ron; daughter Sue and husband Jerry; son Kyle and wife Cherie; son Don and wife Casaundra; and daughter Judy and husband Pat. Her grandchildren Shannon and husband Robert, Tyler, Cody and wife Aly, Victoria, Crystal, Sarah, Hannah, Tasha, Daniel and wife Brianna, and Nicole. And her great-grandchildren Leilani, Bianca, Logan, Caden, and Loralai.
She is also survived by her brother Buddy and wife Shirley Willis, brother-in-law Curtis and wife Barbara Anderson, sisters-in-law Mary Sue and husband Larry Smith, Cora and husband Bob Penning, and Alice and husband Paul Davis.
She also left behind numerous nieces and nephews that loved her dearly.
Gloria was preceded in death by both of her parents; her parents-in-law Roy and Marietta Anderson; her sister and brother-in-law, Faye and husband Ellis Jolley; two brothers-in-law, Bill and wife Lucy Anderson; and Al Anderson.
She was also preceded by her granddaughter Adrienne, grandson Jesse, and great-grandson Odin.
We will miss you Mommy…..
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 at 2pm at Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman Street, Longmont, CO. Reception to follow at the Elks Lodge Ballroom, 306 Coffman Street, Longmont, CO.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gloria’s memory to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Alzheimer’s Awareness.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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