Gloria L. Hinshaw

Gloria Lillian Fuller was born October 29, 1926 at Fruita Colorado. Her parents were Joe and Bernice (Morris) Fuller. She spent her childhood there and graduated from Fruita Union High School with the class of 1944. Lifelong friendships were formed with her classmates. After graduation Gloria worked as a floral designer at Watson’s Flower Shop which was one of the two florists in Grand Junction at the time.

Ralph Lehman and Gloria Fuller were married on October 18, 1947. The next year they moved to Rifle Colorado where both of them worked for Union Carbide. In 1952 they moved back to Grand Junction because that was where they wanted to raise their family. Gloria was involved with her husband in the Lehman Water Delivery Service and the Lehman Boat and Recreation Business. A benefit of owning a recreation business was the fun the family had boating, camping and snowmobiling. They enjoyed traveling up to Canada with friends, down to the Gulf of Mexico and to the west coast. Ralph Lehman passed away on November 8, 1971.

On February 14, 1996 Dr. Merritt Hinshaw and Gloria Lehman were married at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas Nevada. They enjoyed spending time during the winter in Yuma Arizona with their high school classmates of 1944. Merritt passed away December 9, 2002.

A visit to the Holy Land in 1983 was a high point in her travels. A trip across the United States to see the sights in New York City, the north eastern states and many trips with the Traveling Senior Saints of Northeast Christian Church were all good memories for her.

Gloria was a committed Christian who enjoyed working and volunteering in the church where she was a member. Volunteering was something she did during her life and always said being a Girl Scout Leader when her girls were in school was the most rewarding. After retirement she was a member of RSVP (volunteers). The most interesting place of employment was with Grand Valley Irrigation. The end of her working career was back to her first love as a designer in a flower shop. Her hobby was recording family history with pictures back to her Great Grandfather John C. Fuller who fought in the Civil War and the Morris family who came to Mesa County in 1901. Her mother was the youngest of eight children and her father was one of the nine Fuller boys who came to Mesa County with their parents in 1913. She has resided in Grand Junction except for the five years she and Ralph lived in Rifle.

Gloria is survived by three daughters all living in Colorado, Deborah Lehman of Broomfield, Dianna (Barney) Roberts of Whitewater and Donna (Greg) Halsey of Lyons. She has four grandchildren – Travis (Emily) Thoele, Justin Monroe, Allison Daniel and Tonia (Mike) Simpson. There are several great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating Gloria’s life will be held at the Heritage Church 2403 N. 12th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501 on July 29th at 3 pm.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinMortuary.com for the Hinshaw family.