Gloria Marie Nelson

Aledo, Texas

Gloria Marie Nelson, 91, passed away March 12, 2026, at an Aledo Care Facility.

Funeral Gathering: 2 p.m. Monday, March 23,at Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth. A reception for family and friends will follow.

Gloria was born March 25, 1934, in Fort Worth, to James Thomas and Joy Marie (Née Stallings) Cunningham. She attended Fort Worth public schools and excelled in art and fashion design, both of which she enjoyed throughout her life.

While a senior at Paschal High School, she met Royce Eugene "Gene" Nelson, a TCU music major, and the two were married in December, 1953, in Fort Worth. Early married life took them to South Texas, where Gene pursued his master's degree, and Gloria enrolled in college. By the 1960s, they were back in Fort Worth, where Gloria finished her college degree in 1966, and taught art in the Fort Worth public schools. It was during this time that their children, David, Karin and Monica, rounded out the family. They were longtime members of University Christian Church, where Gene sang in the choir.

During the 1970s, Gloria's artistic talents came into full force, when she mastered a dry-brush watercolor technique and had successful art shows in Fort Worth and Salado.

Always stylish and put-together, Gloria made sure her home was a warm and welcoming place, and she looked forward to spring and summer months, when her flowers and plants showcased her gardening skills.

In her later years, Gloria enjoyed retirement. Her favorite activities included gardening, bird watching, painting, sewing, decorating, traveling, and spending time with her family. She and her sister, Wanda, were always close, and together they cared for their aging mother.

The family would like to thank the staff of Clearfork of Willow Park Assisted Living and Solaris Hospice of their kindness and care.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by Gene in 2015.

Survivors: son, David and wife, Anne; daughters, Monica and Karin; sister; Wanda Walker and her family of Fort Worth; and numerous grandchildren and great - grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the SPCA or a local animal shelter in Gloria's memory would be her wish.