Gloria Garic Anderson

Mrs. Anderson was preceded in death by her husband, James Anderson, Jr., who was a former Assistant Attorney General of the State of Texas, a former Assistant District Attorney, and the first Regional Security Analyst in Houston. Mrs. Anderson was also preceded in death by her sister, Mrs. John L. Thomas of Falls Church, Virginia and her grandson Adam Wilson. She was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Garic of that city. She was also a member of Old Families in Louisiana. Mrs. Anderson resided in both New York City and Houston for many years. She was a graduate of the Louise S. McGehee School in New Orleans and of the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute of Tulane University, where she majored in Philosophy.

She was lecturing to school children at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, as a part of her Junior League work when she was asked if she would like to become a Bayou Bend Docent. She was interviewed and accepted and that was the beginning of her long association with Bayou Bend. She later became a member of the board on which she served for many years.

Gloria was a member of the Houston Country Club (where she chaired the Debutante Ball for thirteen years), the Bayou Club, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Junior League of Houston, The Garden Club of Houston (of which she was a past member of the board), the Late Bloomers Garden Club, the Texas Heart Institute’s Cooley Circle, the M.D. Anderson Society, the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, the Bayou Bend Docent Organization, and the Petroleum Club. Gloria was a generous benefactor of Bayou Bend, and she also served on the Board of Trustees of the Open Door Mission. Additionally, Gloria was a Trustee of the Lighthouse of Houston; a member of the Houston Ballet Foundation; a partner in Anderson, Chavigny, Interiors; a founding member of the Folderols; a former director of River Oaks Property Owners; and the sole honorary founding member of the Dominic Walsh Dance Theater. Her presence will be missed at the Louise S. McGee School in New Orleans and at the Bayou Bend Museum in Houston.

Gloria loved visiting her maternal grandmother at her summer home on Long Island, and, when she was older, going to the Lake Placid Club in Adirondacks with her family. She and Jim also traveled extensively throughout Europe and Africa. Her favorite destinations included Scandinavia, all ports on the Baltic Sea, the former Eastern Block countries, and Western Europe.

Mrs. Anderson is survived by two daughters, Gloria Garic Anderson and Pamela Anderson Wallace; son-in-law, William H. Wallace; four grandchildren, Jennifer Wallace Warren, Anderson Wallace, Ian Wallace, Caitlin Wilson; and a niece Linda Hadley, of Falls Church, Virginia.

A memorial service is to be conducted on Wednesday, the 20th of January at ten o’clock in the morning, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Rd., in Houston, where Rev. Al Sinisac C.S.B., Pastor, is to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be announced at the service.

The family will gather for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston at a later date.

If desired, contributions may be made to the Bayou Bend Collections & Gardens, P.O. Box 6826, Houston, Texas 77265, or to the charity of your choice.