Gloria Edna Mabel Williamson

Gloria wrote this in 2013 for her high school 50th reunion.

“My goal at the end of high school was to become a teacher, a nurse and a missionary working with children”. In my 50 years I have managed to complete all my goals all the while doing a little travelling and enjoying life. “

Gloria grew up in Whonnock, BC. Her parents Frank and Mabel Selvey were founding members of a Sunday School and Church in Whonnock, BC. Gloria accepted the Lord as her Savior in Grade 5. She helped build the Wildwood Fellowship A- Frame church in 1968-69 and worked on the steep roof. Wildwood was her choice of name for Wildwood Fellowship Church.

After High School Gloria attended Bible College in Vancouver and travelled with the choir to many parts of Canada and the US. Starting in 1978 Gloria, (Chester, camp name) counselled for about 25 years at many Pioneer Camps and taught puppetry and other skills to other camp leaders. Some of these camps were in BC, Oregon, Florida and Jamaica.

Gloria went to Vancouver Vocational School for Practical Nursing graduating in 1967. She worked first in Pediatrics at Ridge Meadows Hospital. She also worked in the Kamloops Hospital. After an injury she began working in security. She worked at varied venues until June of 2024! She received her 25-year pin from Garda in December, 2023 in Toronto.

Gloria taught Sunday School, ran children’s programs and choirs at Wildwood and at Kamloops Alliance Church. She taught Wee College at Abbotsford Pentecostal. Gloria led women’s Bible studies and attended Western Pentecostal Bible College part time as an adult.

Gloria liked to cook, she had lots of cookbooks and recipe clippings. Gloria was an avid Watkins representative. She liked to be on the road, locally and to see family and friends. Her blue 2005 Sunfire with its Watkins signs is proof with over 480 thousand kms on it in 20 years. A few lesser-known facts: Gloria liked to fish, Gloria was also Charlie the Clown, and she collected Stuffies!! Gloria wrote stories for puppet characters, and she wrote poems and prayers.

ln later years Gloria’s passion was the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox Ministry. She shopped all year long and started packing on her birthday Aug. 1st. to complete many, many shoeboxes by the deadline in late November. Gloria packed, encouraged others to pack and held 24/7 packing parties. She travelled to Calgary many times to work in the OCC warehouse and made two trips, first to Senegal and the second to Gambia to distribute shoeboxes to the children. Wildwood was credited with over 3500 shoeboxes since 2000 mostly done by Gloria.

Gloria had family and friends in many places with whom she faithfully kept in touch. She was a loyal friend, always helping others. She will be greatly missed but we are comforted that she is at Home with her Savior and with those who have gone before.