Gloria Verna Mahood

Gloria Verna Tavernier McIver Mahood was born on January 10, 1929 in Manhattan, New York to the union of Lancelot and Gladys Tavernier of Dominica, B.W.I. She was the youngest of three children and was cherished, loved and protected by her two older brothers, Lionel and Charles. Her early years in New York were spent frolicking in Central Park, where she fondly remembers long walks, building dams and feeding pigeons with her brother, Charles (Shelley).

After the death of her father, at the tender age of two, the Tavernier family moved several times, but settled in the Bronx, where the family lived for many years. Gloria graduated from Walton Senior High School and soon married the handsome Walter McIver, Jr. in 1950. This union was blessed with two daughters, Karen and Leslie. In 1958, Gloria re-married Milton Mahood, a devoted, hardworking man and again was blessed with one son, Chet Mahood.

As an adult, Gloria enjoyed traveling with friends and family. She was a seamstress extraordinaire affectionately known as "Puff". She could have you in a gown and ready for the ball just like magic. Gloria will be remembered for the unwavering love she gave family and friends for eighty nine years. She gave her all in caring for her mother and late husband when they became ill. She was the family rock and the original “fashionista”. She was the fighter who never gave up, but was always there with a smile, hugs and kisses, and if needed, a New York baseball hat.

Gloria moved to Washington, DC in 2002 after suffering a stroke. Here, she spent time with her daughter and grandchildren and continued to enjoy outings to seafood restaurants, movies and musical concerts.

On May 28, 2018, Gloria passed away peacefully at home attended by her twin grandsons and surrounded by family and friends. She leaves behind to cherish her memory, three children, Karen McIver Green, Leslie McIver Williams Heyward and Chet Mahood; five grandchildren, Shea Williams, Kimberly Green Anderson, Remington Green, Ryan Green and Sterling Williams; four great-grandchildren, Hailey Williams, Amber Williams, Quentin Williams and Donovan Williams; and son-in-law, Richard Heyward.

She will be sorely missed, never forgotten and forever loved.