Gloria Messam

On October 30th, 1932 a beautiful baby girl, Gloria Enola Earle, was born to Charles Earle and Amy Robinson in Kingston, Jamaica W.I. She lived with her mom and brothers Lloyd and Desmond. After completing her early education, she worked at the Jamaica Omnibus Service (JOS) where she met and married Raymond Messam of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. The pair produced 4 children. Although she gave birth to only 4 children, ‘AuntG’ was the surrogate mother of several nieces and nephews; as well as numerous children at the Jamaica Seventh-Day Adventist church in Queens, NY.

Gloria completed her early education in Kingston and Belfield, St. Mary in Jamaica W.I. She traveled to England to complete a very challenging 6-year nursing program. After completing the program and earning her Registered Nurse credentials, she returned to Jamaica and worked as a nurse at University Hospital in Kingston for about a year. She was hired and sponsored to America by Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan, New York. Her nursing career spanned 40+ years serving in several hospitals in New York, including Roosevelt, Flushing General and Long Island Jewish hospitals. She developed expertise in many areas in nursing including the Operating Room, Intensive Care Unit and Cardiology. She was so well respected, that doctors would often consult her for advice.

After retiring from her service in New York City hospitals, she moved to Virginia to be near her daughter, a son and her grandchildren. However, after being in Virginia for less than a month, she walked into Loudoun INOVA Hospital and walked out with a nursing position in post operation care. Older patients were especially pleased to see her in her old-fashion white nurse’s uniform. She continued to work for another 5 years before finally retiring and moving to the Maryland side of the DMV to be nearer her only daughter.

Gloria was raised in a Seventh-Day Adventist home which began her devotion to Christ and the church. The SDA church was an extremely important part of her life and she served in several positions at the Jamaica SDA church in Queens, NY. Her favorite role was being in charge of Vacation Bible School for several years. When she moved to Maryland, she became a member of the Restoration Praise Center SDA church in Bowie, Maryland. She drew her indominable strength from her complete faith in God and trusted God in all situations.

Gloria goes in God’s grace, leaving brothers, sisters and cousins; 4 children, 10 grandchildren, nieces and nephews; and a great-grandchild (on the way) that she did not get a chance to learn about.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.robertevansfuneralhome.com for the Messam family.

Register for the funeral: https://rpcsda.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/160/responses/new

To view the service on Saturday please go to: https://youtu.be/TH5wPB-Yqko