Gloria R Stewart

Born on February 22, 1929, in Krugersdorp, Transvaal, South Africa, to Joel E. and Vinnie E. Rhodes, who were missionaries to South Africa until 1945.

Gloria attended Emmanuel State College where she earned her Bachelor's Degree. She worked as a school teacher from 1951 to 1952, then she worked at the Florida Comptroller's office until 1967, then worked at The Tallahassee Community College until she retired in 1989 as the Assistant Registrar. After retirement she enjoyed traveling around seeing as much of the United States as possible.

Gloria was a woman of many talents. She played piano and sang. She had a love of sewing and using her hands to create beautiful works of art with fabric and thread, with yarn, with paints, brushes, and colored pencils. God used her in many ways to feed into lives the wonderful love of Jesus Christ her Lord and Saviour. She volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House for 28 years where she did anything she could to help the families met with tragedy. She made blankets and quilts for the children, she made blankets for the babies, both with fabric and yarn, she sat with the mothers and comforted them when things were not going so good. She prayed with them and encouraged them. In 2006, she continued to use her talents as she felt compelled to share her love of sewing and the art of quilting by starting a missions group, Loving Hand Quilters, through the church teaching women how to quilt and make baby items to donate to A Women’s Pregnancy Center for the mothers that keep their babies. The first year a group of 5 women made 10 quilts to donate. Now, 19 years later a group of 18 women has donated 295 handmade items to pregnancy centers in Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson Counties.

Gloria was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Paul and John. She is survived by one nephew, Michael Rhodes (Cheryl) of Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, and many, many friends.

A memorial service will be held at Westminster Oaks in the Maguire Center on Friday, November 14, 2025 at 10am.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Westminster Oaks or The Gideons International.