Gloria Jean Whitmer

Gloria was born at home in Camden, Missouri on September 12, 1932, to Earl Ross and Mary Ross (Irons). She was the youngest of her many brothers and sisters. She graduated from Richmond High School and furthered her education with secretarial studies becoming an excellent typist and bookkeeper.

In 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Alvin O. Whitmer, in a ceremony at the Richmond Baptist Church. They were married for over 70 years and were life-long residents of Pleasant Valley beginning in 1959. While he was serving in the Korean War, Gloria lived in an apartment in Kansas City and kept in touch through letters and phone calls.

The couple had their first child, a son Bruce Whitmer (spouse, Debbie); followed by three daughters - Lisa Van Natta, Kimberly Monteleone, Julie Phillips, and a final son (Brian Whitmer). She was blessed to have six grandchildren (Arielle Hobson, Ashley Border, Tyler Van Natta, Evan Russell, Erik Russel and Delaney Phillips), four great-grandchildren (Owen Border, Elizabeth Hobson and William Hobson III, and Ava Van Natta), and great-great-grand daughter, Nyla Border.

Gloria is remembered by her children as a loving mother and home maker. If you ever had a problem, you could always count on mom - she was always in your corner. She enjoyed reading novels and news, travel, tending flowers, sewing, and rooting on both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tigers of Mizzou. Gloria also acted as the office manager and bookkeeper of Whitmer & Rogers, a rental partnership of Alvin and his cousin, Frank T. Rogers. She later worked as a tax preparer at HR Block.

She was preceded in death by the passing of her husband, Alvin (age 91), in 2023 and the loss of her daughter, Kimberly, from breast cancer in 2020.

The visitation is scheduled for 2:00pm with memorial service to follow at 3:00pm at D.W. Newcomer’s Sons White Chapel Funeral Home and Cemetery - 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, Missouri 64119.

The pallbearers will be Tyler Van Natta, Owen Border, Evan Russel, Erik Russel, Brett Whitmer, and Bill Hobson.

Donations will be gladly accepted to support the National Ataxia Foundation | www.ataxia.org/donate and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation | komen.org/how-to-help/donate

The family would like to thank the staff of Missouri Palliative and Hospice Care.