Having lived a beautiful life of love for her husband, family and friends, Gloria E. Troisi, 92, a resident of the Williamsport Home, died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, following a brief illness.
Gloria's life's work was her family and everything that went with it. She and her husband, Robert, met when they were six years old and literally spent a lifetime hand in hand. They were married 71 years on Sept. 11.
As partners, they built a house together in 1956 on the corner of Brandon Park at Parkwood and Elizabeth streets. There they raised their six children in a neighborhood marked by special friends and families. For a time, they took in both of Gloria's parents. And nearly every night for those years, Gloria served up a meal for 10 with recipes that everyone has since tried but failed to duplicate.
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Gloria was the director of special trips that the family of eight went on for two weeks each summer, meticulously planning every phase of a two-week itinerary, earning her the nickname Cecil B. DeMille.
She also was a matriarch to three Brandon Little Leaguers, loved to take her kids on shopping and grocery trips with her and planned holiday festivities at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's down to the minute.
As their children left home, Gloria and Bob continued their travel interests, eventually visiting all 48 states of the mainland United States as well as Canada and Europe. They also wintered for about 10 years in Clearwater, Fla.
Gloria did bowl for a time, was involved in the DuBoistown Garden Club for many years and took up several craft hobbies in later years, including playing Bridge and other card games.
Gloria was a graduate of St. Mary's High School. She also was a lifelong member of St. Boniface Catholic Church.
She leaves behind a devoted husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will never, ever forget her.
She was predeceased by her parents, Peter and Mary Coleman; two brothers, Ferd and George Coleman; and two sisters, Catherine (Sister Marionette) and Marion Bongardt.
Surviving are her husband, Robert L.; four sons, Robert Louis (Mary), of Williamsport, Mark Paul (Alice), of Holt, Mich., David Ferd (fiancee Robin Borick), of DuBoistown, and Lee John, of Northport, Ala.; two daughters, Michele Marie (Douglas) Knowlton, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Elaine Louise (John) Revie, of Harford, Pa.; 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Boniface Catholic Church, 326 Washington Blvd., with visitation at 8:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in St. Boniface Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Boniface Catholic Church in Gloria's name.
