RUNTON, Gloria C., 95, a Tampa native, entered in eternal rest March 20, 2018. She was born January 18, 1923, the only child of Clarence and Mildred Runton. Gloria was a Plant High graduate, a 1944 University of Tampa cum laude graduate, majoring in English and minoring in French. While at UT, she was a member of Alpha Gamma sorority, Operetta Club, Girl's Glee Club, yearbook staff, and Future Teachers of America; co-founder of creative writing journal Quill; was a student assistant in the Library all four years; she was also on the Dean's List and Honor Roll all four years at UT. In 1954, Gloria became a UT employee as a Cataloging Librarian. Other areas of responsibility for Gloria included advising the UT radio station WTUN; helping establish (1973), then curate, the Florida Military Collection in the UT Library; and assuming Acquisition and Accounting duties for the Library.
Gloria took a year-long leave-of-absence from UT (1958-1959), to attend Florida State University, earning her Librarian’s M.A. degree. She returned to work at UT, until her retirement in May of 1993, as Head Librarian after 39 years of faithful, diligent service to her alma mater and its students. Gloria was declared Librarian Emerita upon her retirement, one of only two so-titled Librarians at UT. Gloria was a lifelong Alumni Member of UT.
She was a faithful lifetime parishioner at St Patrick Catholic Church. Gloria had the heart of a servant; 40 years she helped open and set up church in the mornings before going to work and belonged to many ministries. Gloria gave selflessly of her time and talents; to her church, her friends, her family, and to animals. Gloria loved cats, especially her baby, China. She will be fondly remembered by; her second cousin Kathleen Hanley, her dear friends, Alberta Houze, Indira and Robert Houze Jr, Sophia Houze-Escobar and husband Nelson, Madison Escobar, Ethan Escobar (Gloria’s godson), Robert Alan Houze III and fiancé Madalina Iordache, her church family, and numerous friends.
A funeral mass will be celebrated 10 am, Saturday April 7th at St Patrick Catholic Church, 4518 S Manhattan Ave, Tampa, Florida 33611. Interment to follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Tampa. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Humane Society.
