Obituary of Gloria Elaine Davidson

Look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. On a fall day and uneventful day in Racine, Wisconsin, God decided to bring a child into the world and bless the Warren and Mildred Watson family. On a Cold Friday, October 1, 1926 at St. Luke's Hospital, a baby girl named Gloria Elaine Watson was born. A few years after she was born her parents had a son. During the summers when she was old enough, she traveled by train to Ely, Nevada to spend time with her grandparents on their ranch. After arriving at the Ely train station her grandparents loaded their grandchild into a Model T Ford to take a long dusty ride to their ranch house. This is where Gloria developed a love for trains. Sometimes grandfather would take her to his Goldmine Fee Five Full Thumb. When she was old enough, Gloria attended Catholic school. During her childhood she developed friendships with Jaime and Lillian. Unknown to them the three would be connected through marriage to become sister- in- laws. During the Great Depression her parents used time to teach her to serve and volunteer. Her belief to share their blessings and fortunes would help others around them. Warren and Mildred believed always to share what they had with their fellow neighbors no matter how much or how little. They taught Gloria the same values of life. On April 06, 1939 Gloria was confirmed in the Methodist Church in Racine. At some stage in her teen years she began to develop a relationship with the brother Arthur which became her future husband . As the relationship developed it moved from friendship to boyfriend. When WII started, her boyfriend joined the U.S. Navy and served as a gun crew on merchant ships. During WWII Gloria, Jaime, and Lillian (like everybody else on the home front during the war) volunteered and serve. When her future husband returned home on shore leaves, she would go on dates with him. Sometimes these dates would include visiting lighthouses around the state. At one of those lighthouses dad proposed to mom. Shortly afterwards they eloped and got married. When her mother found out that she was married, she insisted that they get married in a church and have a big ceremony. Thus her husband had to go AWOL {absent without leave} from the Navy to get married again. His duty in Navy came at high-risk and thus the ship might be torpedoed and sunk. She received several missing in action telegrams. After a period of time her husband returned home from being missing in action. Sometimes he would return unharmed and safe while other times Arthur would return home with severe injuries. The time her husband would be missing allowed her to gain strength for the future of her marriage and to seek out the Lord. After the war they remained in Racine, Wisconsin. As a loving wife she supported her husband’s career in the police force. On August 19, 1949 their first son Clark was born. The following year November 7, 1950 their second son Warren was born. While living in Racine she enjoyed camping with her family, her parent’s family and yes even the in-laws. The relationship that developed from best friends Jaime and Lillian to sister-in-law developed from her childhood allowed to be very close. She would even help her mother-in-law and father-in-law in their restaurant. In addition to camping she would take vacations with her family. Some of these vacations included her parents and other times with in-laws. There was always gatherings at her house as well as relations houses. At Christmas time the house was full of people. In addition, she would help her husband on toys for tots’ drives. Her husband would volunteer on Christmas day to be Santa Claus for the neighborhood. Thus she would have to help hide the fact that dad was Santa Claus from her sons. Her sons would remember her volunteering at school, PTA, and Church. When her sons would come home from school or playing sometimes the house would be filled with the smell of fresh baked bread and cookies. She developed a tradition by making Danish 7 layer cake for their birthday. Later in life her sons would say they would miss her not making Danish 7 layer cake for their birthday. In 1958 the family moved to South Gate, California where their dad began to work for the Southgate Police Department. While living in South Gate the family would go to the beach, Disneyland, Pacific Ocean Park, and Knots Berry Farm. Her sons remember outings to Knots Berry Farm and the alligator farm next to it. Even though all the family at first was living in Wisconsin, the family gatherings did not stop. They would travel out from California to visit it and have family gathered. This was true for the family’s first Christmas. All the in-laws and her parents family came to stay with her in a two bedroom apartment. She did not want them to stay in a hotel or motel. Thus there were so many people sleeping in the apartment it was hard to find a place to sleep even under the Christmas tree. Her husband would say that he was going to his work at the police station and going to sleep in the jail! In September of 1961, her husband Arthur passed away. She had to tell her 11-year-old and 10-year-old sons one of the hardest things for a mother to tell her child; that their dad passed away. Many of her dear friends offered to do the task but she refused and told them it was her duty and responsibility. So on that morning, instead of smells of warm bread in the house, it was full of friends, wives of police officers, and police officers when she told her sons of the death of the dad. To ease the death of her husband to the family, Gloria moved to Lahaina, Hawaii to be close to her and husbands favorite Aunt Vera. While living in Lahaina she met her second husband. On October 23, 1962 her daughter Tami Sue was born. In 1980 her daughter Tami gave birth to her first grandchild Bradley Black. In 1983 Gloria moved to Hillsboro, Oregon. While living in Hillsboro, Oregon she received an Associates degree in Early Childhood Development and was in charge of the infant department at St. James Lutheran Church in downtown Portland, Oregon. While living in Hillsboro, her daughter gave birth to her second grandchild Stephanie. Gloria enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren. She would take Bradley to St. James day care where she worked and he attended the day care. In addition, she taught Bradley how to ride the bus. Bradley and she would go on little outings. Even when she broke her leg and was in a wheelchair, Bradley would take his grandmother Gloria out on outings with the wheelchair. Sometimes her wheel chair would break down but Bradley would fix it. One time he had her sit on the ground on the corner of the street and he fixed the wheelchair. When Gloria was living in Tacoma she would invite her granddaughter to spend summers with her. Just like when she visited her grandparents in Nevada. She would tell stories about times Stephanie and her took trips around town. She would take her to the mall and other stores so Stephanie could try on all kinds of makeup and wigs. One summer She and Stephanie went to a camp for senior citizens and grandchildren provided by Elder Hostel. She would tell how other granddaughter's would stay in a room by themselves and stay up all night talking and being just teenagers. Gloria worked until 1993 before retireing from her work with children. However, after a few years of being retired she discovered and became a foster grandparent. As a foster grandparent in Oregon as well Tacoma, Washington, Gloria volunteered through the foster grandparent program in schools, day cares, and served on the advisory board of the Foster grandparent program. Her last supervisor, David Olson said “Gloria was an inspiration to me for all the depth of her concern and knowledge related to children. She offered me guidance with respect to meeting the special and exceptional needs of children in our program. She also gave me a sound foundation in how the Foster Grandparent program and Foster Grandparents best related to both teacher supervisors and principals in the schools. Her service as a Foster Grandparent both here and in Oregon was an exemplary example to everyone. The children at Steward Middle School and at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital New Adventures Childcare grew and flourished under her tutoring and mentoring.” While living in Hillsboro and Tacoma her circle of friends was very small and close. In Hillsboro she would go and visit her special friend Bebe in Oregon. They would talk about books, watch old Tarzan movies, and explore Portland and the surrounding area. In addition, both of them would help at the local emergency family assistance center. While living in Tacoma, her and her friend Doris would go swimming, go to the the Art walk, and various other ventures. Another friend of hers was Norma from Church. She enjoyed coffee together as well as going to the Adult Education classes. At the senior meal site she met Lupe. Lupe and her would visit at the meal site and even go to exercise class. Despite her health issue she always had a goal of returning to the Foster Grandparent Program and continuing activity as before. She met most of the goals which included volunteering at the Foster Grandparent Program. Warren her son believes that the goal of returning to Foster Grandparent Program and activity helped her recover and become active again. However, her activity slowly was cut down but she found other ways to keep some activities. Waking up at four o'clock which was normal for her and going for walks around the trailer park. Thus with the double coffee and in her blue house robe with the cat in tow and squirrels follow her. She would tell Warren her son not to be the squirrels and animals. However, she would get caught being the squirrels and animals. She loved coffee {Starbucks}, chocolate, and reading history books about earl 1900's events. For the last several months she was living in Kings Manor and Gloria was looking forward to returning to volunteer as a Foster Grandparent as well as Bible study and Adult education Trinity. Her goal and wish was to swim with the dolphins. On Saturday, July 31, 2010 God moved Gloria for the last time and sent her to be with our dad in heaven. Thank you God for a wonderful and fulfilling life for Mom. God has truly blessed her life with all of her friends and family. God said her work was done and now it's time for her to go home. Memorial will be in Parkland, Washington On Saturday August 7, 2010, 1:00 PM @ Trinity Lutheran Church 12115 Park Avenue South Tacoma, WA 98444 (253) 537 – 0201 The family would like any donations to be given to: Trinity Funeral Memorial fund Food Ministry, Pastor Emergency fund