Our family and our community lost a wonderful wife, mother and friend to a senseless tragedy on Wednesday, May 30th. Gloria was so full of optimism and life; she dedicated herself to her two daughters and husband. She was a ‘giver’ not a ‘taker’ in life; always reaching out to those in need in her circle of friends and in her volunteer work in our community.
Gloria was born in Frankfurt, Germany and came to the United States with her family shortly thereafter. She was raised in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Highland Park. She worked as an electrician and then went on to work in commercial lighting sales. Her favorite phrase reflecting on her electrician days was “if nothing else works out I can always go back to Texas and pull wire!”
It wasn’t long where Gloria’s knack for business and warm engagement of people made her get noticed by national companies. She was offered a job in New York City. She quickly gained more success and both national and international respect and admiration with her lighting design skills and abilities. One of her key projects was the relighting of the Statue of Liberty for which she was always proud.
Gloria loved to travel and she traveled to such places as the Middle East and many parts of Europe; but her favorite spot was Germany. One of the highlights of her memories was being at the Berlin Wall when it was torn down.
Gloria served on many national committees. Given her love of lighting design, she gained leadership positions in the Illuminating Engineering Society. She was the New York City chapter president and then went on to be a Regional Vice President and serving on the national board where she met her future husband, Tom who also served as a Regional Vice President.
In 1992, Gloria moved to Seattle and Tom and Gloria were married at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church on a beautiful fall day to match Gloria, who was a beaming and beautiful bride. Gloria and Tom enjoyed their mutual friends and travelled. In 1995, their first daughter, Christina was born and became the center of Tom and Gloria’s lives. Gloria and Christina had and continued to have a wonderful mother-daughter bond throughout Gloria’s life. In the year 2000, Sophia was born into the family and with Christina brought so much joy in Gloria and Tom’s life. Gloria was an active parent every step of her daughter’s journey.
Gloria believed in giving back to the community not just professionally, but through charity. She served for some ten years on the Evergreen Healthcare Foundation Board; helping them establish what has become a highly successful yearly Gala raising over $1 million to fund care at Evergreen and save lives. Professionally, she served as President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Illuminating Engineering Society. These were only some of the ways in which Gloria gave back to her community.
A tremendous and wonderful woman, and more importantly a beautiful wife and mother were lost on the morning of May 30th. Gloria would have wanted her family and friends to focus on life and not her death; because she valued and loved life so much. Her death, as well as the other victims of May 30th is a senseless and unfair tragedy that no one will ever comprehend.
Gloria is survived by her husband of 19 years, Tom, daughters Christina and Sophia; Carl Parsons (Father), Marge Parsons (stepmother), Elisabeth Corrigan (sister), Ron Parsons (brother) and many nieces and nephews, as well as Lukas Sollars (godson).
May her memory be eternal!
Remembrances for Gloria Leonidas
Gloria Leonidas was a vivacious and caring wife, mother and friend. Her life was cut short on May 30, 2012 when a man attacked her to steal her car and in the process shot and killed her.
Gloria leaves behind a husband and two daughters (12 and 16) that will continue their journey through life without her help. She also leaves a hole in her presence in providing volunteer, charity and community support that will be sorely missed and that she loved so much. The Leonidas Family is providing several ways that donations can go to help Gloria’s family as well as charitable causes that she was a part of and believed in.
The Gloria Leonidas Children’s Fund
Contributions to this fund will go directly to provide assistance for the education of Gloria’s daughters as well as to provide for medical expenses for one of her daughters that are not covered by health insurance. Contributions should be made payable to:
Gloria Leonidas Children’s Fund
c/o George Treperinas
Karr Tuttle Campbell
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 2900
Seattle, WA 98101
Click Here to: Donate Online to Gloria Children's Fund
Evergreen Health Foundation
Gloria was an active foundation board member of Evergreen Health. During her tenure on the Foundation board, Gloria touched many lives and her crowning legacy will be remembered by many as Evergreen Health’s annual Gala, which is responsible for raising over $7.5 million to support the care of the Eastside community. Contributions toward this fund will continue her love and passion to provide and improve healthcare for the Eastside Community. Contributions should be made payable to:
Evergreen Health Foundation
12040 NE 128th Street MS#5
Kirkland, WA 98034
Please note on payment: In memory of Gloria Leonidas
Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club Foundation
Gloria and her husband support The Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Foundation which provides charitable support funding projects both locally and nationally. Some of the projects that have been undertaken by the BBRC Foundation include Bicycles for Orphans, Crossroads Spray Play Park, Operation Warm, Success Program and many more that can be found at www.bbrc.net. Contributions should be made payable to:
BBRC Foundation
PO Box 3003
Bellevue, WA 98009-3003
Please note on payment: In memory of Gloria Leonidas
The International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
IOCC, in the spirit of Christ’s love, offers emergency relief and development programs to those in need worldwide, without discrimination, and strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox Church to so respond. Contributions can be made online at www.iocc.org or by check to the following:
IOCC
110 West Road, Suite 360
Baltimore, MD 21204
Please note on payment: In memory of Gloria Leonidas
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