Gloria Lorraine Cotton
Heaven gained a new angel on September 20, 2023, as Ms. Gloria Cotton passed from this life at the age of 94.
A celebration of life was held on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at the First Baptist Church in Dannebrog.
Mike Bremer presided.
Sharon Tedmon was the pianist. The opening prayer was followed by the congregational hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.”
A video, “I Can Only Imagine,” was played with a message. Congregational hymn “When We All Get To Heaven” was played, followed by the closing prayer. A private family inurnment was held at Fort Bliss Cemetery in El Paso, Texas.
Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul assisted the family.
Gloria Lorraine Davis was born to Charles William Davis and Violet Margaret (Forbes) Davis on August 20, 1929 in Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Gloria, her parents, and her younger brother, Robert moved to East Chicago, Indiana, where Gloria graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1946.
She met her future husband, Carl Cotton, in Indiana and they were married on April 17, 1948.
Carl had been a seaman in the United States Navy for two years prior to their marriage. He later enlisted in the Army, so Gloria then became an Army wife, moving with Carl many times and learning to shoot at marksman’s level.
While Carl was stationed at Fort Ord, California; Carl met Walter Blake and a life-long friendship developed.
Once Carl and Walter were transferred to Fort Riley, Kansas; Gloria and Walter’s wife, Pauline, met and another life-long friendship developed.
As Carl and Gloria and Walter and Pauline served in the Army, their paths continued to cross and their friendship was strengthened.
Carl and Gloria never had any children, but became Godparents to Walter and Pauline’s five children.
Carl’s last duty station was Fort Bliss, Texas.
There, he retired from the military and went back to school to become a teacher. Gloria worked for the City of El Paso, Texas for many years. She was a very intelligent woman and worked her way up through the ranks. She handled payroll and workers compensation claims.
She was a stickler for the details, with a quick wit.
Her value as an employee was proven when, after her retirement from the city, they called her several years later and asked her to return to the job.
During her career and even retirement, Gloria was a “busy bee.” She had volunteered in the surgery waiting room at William Beaumont Army Medical Center for over thirty years. She was an excellent concert pianist and played for Sunday worship services at the Tobin Park Methodist Church in El Paso. She also held several offices for the church since her membership in 1961. Her gifted hands made beautiful crochet work, hooked rugs, silversmithing, and several hand-made quilts.
She enjoyed reading, collecting Hummel figurines, walking her dogs Bunkie and Suzie Q, and she enjoyed traveling, having visited several countries overseas. She and her friend Joyce loved to go to The Inn of the Mountain Gods in New Mexico for weekend gambling trips.
Gloria loved to travel to visit family and friends in Indiana, Florida, and The Phonograph-Herald | October 11, 2023
Nebraska, including her friends Walter and Pauline. Since Gloria had no children, the Blake kids, David, Butch, Kathy, Chris and Becky, adopted Gloria on June 27, 2010.
They had all signed a certificate stating this, which Gloria proudly displayed.
Gloria made the decision to move to Grand Island to be close to family and friends that she had made on her many trips to Nebraska. She became a member of the First Baptist Church of Dannebrog.
Gloria resided at Good Samaritan in Grand Island for about two-and-a-half years, until her death.
Gloria is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Violet; husband, Carl; brother, Robert; her lifelong friends, Walter and Pauline; and one godson, David.
Survivors include two nephews, Eric Davis and wife Maribeth of Wesley Chapel, Florida and Darrin Davis and wife Patti of Highland, Indiana; godchildren, Kathy Blake of Peyton, Colorado, Butch and wife Janette Blake of Dannebrog, Kathy Main of Wood River, Chris Blake of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Becky Davis and husband Alan of Phillips; great nieces, Maya, Eleanor, Casey, and Camryn; and great nephew, Jacob.
She lived a good life and will be missed.