Gloria Marie McGee

Gloria was born Gloria Marie Boyce on August 28, 1937, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was the second child born to Frank and Vivian Boyce. This union also produced her older brother, Donald Boyce.

Gloria attended Central High School and graduated in May 1954. She often told the story, “I got married, had a baby boy and graduated from high school at the age of 16; all before my 18th birthday.”

Encouraged by her mother and father, she valued education deeply and pursued higher education to have a greater knowledge of the world. As a single parent of four children, she went back to school and worked tirelessly to receive a liberal arts bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and later earned her master’s degree in social work, also from the U of M. She also received several certifications in chemical dependency counseling. It was always her desire to work in the community from which she came as she saw a need to help others. Gloria used her education to enrich the lives of others in the community as a chemical dependency counselor for many, many years.

Gloria began her spiritual journey in 1976. She valued God deeply and appreciated all the blessings He provided. In addition to her role as a chemical dependency counselor, she was an active member at River of Life Christian Center almost since its inception in 1976, where she also served as a Deaconess. Along with the church’s founder, Pastor Arnold, Gloria founded the 12-Step Program at River of Life. She was fondly known as “Mother Gloria” by many at River of Life.

As far as friends go, Gloria had several friends. However, her best friends were Elaine Isabell and Carol Shanley. During high school, Gloria met Elaine and they became best friends as well as joined the marching band of majorettes together. As two single mothers catching the bus to the U of M, Gloria and Carol became good friends. Both Elaine and Carol preceded Gloria in death, and she remained a devoted friend until the end.

One of Gloria’s favorite prayers was the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Gloria did not just recite the Serenity Prayer; she lived the Serenity Prayer. She was able to walk through life accepting the things she could not change; she changed the things she could change, and she had the wisdom to know the difference.

Gloria will be deeply missed and is survived by four children, 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren: daughter, Karen, and sons, Michael, JJ and Malcolm; grandchildren Jason, Michael, Jovan, Justin, Ashleigh, Bryttani, Christina, Chase, JJ II, Heaven, Chloe and Elly; and great-grandchildren Taylor, Lexi, JC, Chayse, Calleigh, Kaison and Kieran; brother, Donald; as well as a host of relatives and friends.

While there aren’t enough adequate words to describe the gravity of our loss and what Gloria meant to her family, church family and community, she will be remembered as our greatest blessing and one of God’s faithful servants. As we lay her body to rest, we take comfort in the fact that her soul will live on, and she will always be in our hearts and held in our memories.