Gloria Nell Weaver Knight Elder, 87, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 20th 2018. She was born on July 31, 1930 in Athens, Texas, to Alva and Delia Hanna Weaver. She married Dean K. Knight on June 1, 1947. They had two children. He passed away on March 30, 1997, shortly before their 50th anniversary. She married Warren G. Elder on Sept. 21, 2005. He preceded her in death on June 27, 2017.
She retired from the Victoria Independent School District in 1993 after 35 years of service. She started her career with the VISD as a telephone operator and was promoted to secretary to the business manager. From there she was named as supervisor to the payroll department, a position she held for 22 years. Her final position with the district was as executive secretary to the superintendent. While with the VISD she earned many recognitions, including receiving the Teacher’s Friend Award from the Victoria Classroom Teachers’ Association and an Outstanding Contributor Award from the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers. Upon her retirement she was honored with a proclamation from the City of Victoria.
She was a member of Northside Baptist Church, serving as an adult Sunday school teacher for many years. She was actively involved in many service and civic organizations. She was a member of the Morning Study Club holding the offices of secretary and president. She was a member of the Pilot Club and the Retired Teachers Association. She served the City of Victoria as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Most recently she was a member of the Antique Auto Club. When she wasn’t busy serving her church and community she enjoyed gardening, reading and baking.
In addition to two beloved husbands, she was preceded in death by her brother, Ralph Weaver, and a sister, Ruth Wingo Jenkins.
She is survived by daughters Nancy and her husband Steve Whiddon and Shirley and her husband Larry Royer, all of Victoria; sister, Verble Boren of Huffman, Texas; four grandchildren, Leigh Ann Harvey and her husband Heath of Atlanta, Georgia, Douglas Whiddon of Victoria, Evan Snell and his wife Diane of Little Elm, Texas, and Chase Royer of Victoria, and two great-grandchildren, Kathleen Harvey of Atlanta, Ga., and Skylar Snell of Little Elm, Texas.
Visitation and a light lunch will be Saturday at noon at Colonial Funeral Home, 1801 E. Red River Street. Services will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with burial at Memory Gardens. Memorials may be made to Crown Hospice or the donor’s choice. Pallbearers are Steve Whiddon, Douglas Whiddon, Larry Royer, Evan Snell, Chase Royer, and Gary East. Honorary pallbearer is Heath Harvey. Special thanks to caregivers: grandson Douglas Whiddon, nurse, Mary Gonzales and Crown Hospice.
