Gloria M. Edwards

Gloria M. Edwards was born March 26, 1921, in Tucson Arizona. Her parents were Norberto (Papa) and Amalia (Nini) Moreno. She was the middle of five children. Her older siblings were Rudolpho (Gemo) and Rosa. Her younger siblings were Amalia (Boots) and Norbert (‘crazy’ uncle). During her younger years they lived in Tucson, AZ. When she was a teenager she gained two sisters, Alice and Liz. They came to live with the Family when their mom had died. So five kids became seven kids. The family moved to Belmont Shore in California for better opportunities and started a Mexican restaurant called Moreno’s.

Gloria completed high school at Saint Anthony’s Catholic School. After high school she got a job at Marie’s Dress Shop also in Belmont Shore. I’ve been told she was quite the dresser. All the kids got a chance to help at the restaurant and Gloria worked at nights as a cashier. Belmont Shore was a small and close knit community were Gloria knew everyone. She entered the Belmont Shore Fiesta Queen and got to ride on one of the floats in her Cow Girl out fit. Later she worked at her brother Gemo’s frozen food plant as bookkeeper.

She married Robert (Bob) K. Edwards on September 16, 1942, who was the love of her life. Gloria followed Bob to the East coast while he was in the service. Her younger sister Boots was instrumental in getting them together.

After the war was over and Robert came home they had their one and only child, Michael in 1947. After about six years they moved out to Garden Grove, which was just starting to grow. Gloria lived there for 52 years in the same house. This became the ‘meeting place’ for the all the Family. After several years they put in a pool. Bob taught almost all the nieces and nephews how to swim, while Gloria served as lifeguard and snack maker. There was always guacamole, Cheese-its, and dips. We all have many fond memories of hanging around the pool with kids, dogs, and diving over the pole.

When Gloria’s parents retired they decided to move to Garden Grove just a few houses down from Bob and Gloria. This encouraged even more Family get togethers.

Gloria loved to entertain, to dance with Bob, to hold babies, to read, to travel, to work with numbers, to volunteer and to give dogs treats. She was never one to sit still unless she had a baby or puppy in her arms.

As you can see there are many nicknames in this Family. Well, Gloria had one too. Hers was Dodo. I am told it was because one of the nieces could not pronounce Gloria.

After Bob died Gloria stayed in her home another five years. She finally decided to move after 52 years when Michael and Kathy and his two kids, Christopher and Jennifer and their families, decided to move to Colorado. Once there, Gloria picked up a new nickname. To all the kids in the neighborhood she became Grandma Gloria and continued her quest to hold all the new babies.

Gloria passed away October 30, 2010, in Loveland, Colorado.

She is survived by her sister Boots, adopted sisters Alice and Liz, son Michael and wife Kathy, grandson Christopher and wife Michelle, granddaughter Jennifer and husband Ken, and her great grand kids Jacob, Jonny, Dillon, Megan, Zachary and many nieces and nephews.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Please add your stories of Gloria to the Guest Book.