Gloria Marie Kostyrka

KOSTYRKA, Gloria Marie (Scaglione) passed away peacefully on December 6, 2020 at the age of 94 accompanied by the strains of Ave Maria, her favourite hymn. Predeceased by her parents Joseph and Estelle, infant son Edward Joseph, brothers Joseph, Robert and Richard and by the love of her life, beloved husband Edward. She leaves as her legacy six daughters: Nancy, Mary Lou (Charles), Jayne (Stephen), Gloria, Susan and Christine (George); her beloved grandchildren Nancy, Charles, Caroline, Stephen, Laura, Grace, Anna Maria, Nicholas and Edie; four great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Gloria grew up in East Rockaway, New York. She met her beloved Ed when he spied her on the steps of the parish church wearing a stunning hat and had a friend introduce them. Gloria always said it was his sense of humor and big blue eyes that attracted her. They became engaged on Valentines Day 1947 and married on September 19, 1948. Theirs was a great partnership- lasting 62 years until Ed’s death. Together they gave their children a very happy and secure childhood. Their cozy Cape Cod house in Massapequa, New York was always full of love and laughter.

Gloria was an accomplished seamstress and knitter, a fabulous cook, hostess and gardener. She fulfilled a childhood dream of learning to tap dance and often entertained at local nursing homes. She enjoyed travelling and her trips to Hawaii for her 25th wedding anniversary, California, England, Ireland and British Columbia were some of her favorite memories. After retirement Gloria and Ed moved to Atlanta, Georgia where they became valued members of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary Volunteers for more than 20 years.

Family was the most important thing to Gloria, and she took great joy in raising her daughters, always making sure we had a beautiful home, well-cooked nutritious meals and her unconditional love. She delighted in her grandchildren, watching them grow, encouraging them and taking pride in their many accomplishments. When asked to recall the most important lessons she had learned from life, she answered, “Keep smiling no matter what and keep a positive attitude”. She embodied that lesson as she navigated life’s ups and downs with faith in God, grace and acceptance. She was a shining example to her family of love in action.

On her 70th birthday Gloria wrote the following to one of her daughters when asked to sum up her life: “I think the word ‘full’ would best describe my life. My childhood was full of family and friends. My married life was full of love, and bringing up my six girls with the help of a good and loving husband is all I ever needed. I would not change anything in my life even if the opportunity arose.”