Gloria Lillian Sealey left us to be with the Lord, Friday, November 9, 2007, after nearly a year long bout with cancer. She was at her home on Lake Burien and surrounded by loving family when she passed. Just last year she watched her husband, Bob, pass away in their home from cancer.
Gloria was born March 24, 1927, in Spokane. Her parents were Theodore and Lillian Gorden. She was their only child.
In her childhood, Gloria and her parents moved around Spokane a lot, but she always spent her summers at her family cabin at Priest Lake, Idaho, with her cousins and aunts. This is where most of her childhood memories were from. In fact, Priest Lake was such a major part of her life that she continued to visit the lake every year, even this past June.
As a teenager, Gloria attended North Central High and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School. She then went on to Eastern Washington State College (now EWU) in Cheney to pursue a degree in education. While there, she met her husband, Bob Sealey, who was also working on a degree in education. They were married, graduated with bachelor's degrees and moved to Burien to accept their first teaching jobs in the Highline School District.
Gloria taught at elementary schools in the Highline, Kent and Federal Way School Districts throughout her career. After retiring, she and Bob went to work for the Pacific Institute in Seattle for a few years before fully retiring.
Gloria and Bob loved to travel. In their retirement they visited 28 countries and for years spent winters at their condo in Hawaii.
Organizing and assembling photo albums was one of Gloria's hobbies. She also loved animals, especially those that would come around her house. She loved to talk to them, feed them, and nurture them whenever the occasion arose.
Gloria was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She and Bob were rarely ever apart. She had a very gentle and warm personality, which made it easy to be around her. She loved family get-togethers and family vacations. She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh.
Gloria leaves behind her daughter, Linda Sealey-Burgess, her son, Bob Sealey Jr., her daughter-in-law, Peggy Sealey, her son-in-law, Bob Burgess, and her grandchildren, Brianna Oberg, Amy Curtis, Kaleena Sealey-Burgess, Ashlyn Sealey, Anna Sealey, Cody Sealey-Burgess, Todd Curtis (Amy's husband), and Jason Oberg (Brianna's husband).
In two months, her first great-grandchild will be born. Gloria will be missed immensely.
There will be a memorial service for Gloria, Sunday, December 2, 2007, at 2 in the afternoon, at Fauntleroy Community Church, 9140 California Ave. S.W., in West Seattle. Following the service will be a reception at the church. In lieu of flowers, please send any gifts to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
