Gloria Neumann

With unending devotion to her family, Gloria Neumann made a significant impact in the lives of all who were within her reach. She was kind and compassionate toward others with a fun-loving sense of humor to boot. Gloria was a loving and nurturing mother, but she just may have argued that becoming a grandmother to her beloved Luke was her greatest reward. She was a gifted artist who loved sharing her talent with others, bringing such joy to people through her work. Gloria will be dearly missed while her memory is forever cherished by all who were blessed to feel her touch.

The year 1941 is often recalled as the year that WWII landed on our doorstep with the vicious attack on our naval base in Pearl Harbor on December 7th. The next day President Franklin D. Roosevelt was left with no choice but to declare war, joining in the fight for the preservation of the freedoms we still enjoy today. It was just a short time before this fateful day that a young couple, Isadore Sr. and Pearl (Tylenda) Suszek, was delighted with the birth of their baby girl on January 3rd of that year. She was born in Bolton, Michigan, as one of twelve children in her family and was raised alongside her seven sisters and four brothers in a primitive one-room log cabin with a loft for sleeping. Her parents were rural farmers who raised cows, cattle, pigs, and chickens. Their family was just down to earth country folks. In fact, their home was so rustic that it was not uncommon for there to be snow on the foot of the bed in the morning.

Although money was tight, there was more than enough love to make up for it. Gloria was of Polish-Russian descent, and they regularly cooked ethnic dishes to preserve grandma’s recipes, which was of great importance in their family. She was particularly close to her sister, Betty, and as a child she had two pet crows, Pat and Mike, and a pet badger in addition to dogs, Rocky and Pokey, and a cat named Sara. Gloria was a student at local schools, although she didn’t graduate from Alpena High School until later in life - in June of 1987.

Life was forever changed for Gloria when she met the young man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was William Neumann, and they met at a dance at Catholic Central High School. After falling deeply in love over time, they were united in marriage on July 5, 1958, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Alpena. They were true companions who just enjoyed being together. They were blessed to welcome three children into their hearts and home: Melissa, Shelley, and Greg.

From the moment her first child was born being a mother seemed to be a role that was tailor made just for Gloria. She was understanding with an endless amount of patience. She was easy to talk to and always gave the best advice that was rooted in unconditional love. With her own creative flair, Gloria often painted nursery rhyme characters and hung them in her children’s rooms, much to their delight. When she would call one of her kids, she always had to go through all the names because she never got it right the first time. This was an inside joke in their family for years. As her children grew older they always got a kick out of her phone calls whether live or in the form of a message as she always said, “This is mom,” as though they wouldn’t know who it was!

In addition to being with her family, Gloria kept busy with other things. She worked at Woolworth’s in downtown Alpena for many years before starting her family. Later in life she worked at the Deli Haus, The Grove Restaurant, and as a head cook at the Alpena County Jail until she retired in 2001. Throughout her life she was an extremely talented and accomplished artist who painted murals, oil canvases, and watercolors. She bowled on the Thunder Bay Bowling League for many years, but once she stopped, Gloria put a spin on her former hobby by painting bowling balls and turning them into garden art. She was also a crafter, gardener, and cook who enjoyed tournament horseshoes, darts, family fish fries with the fish that Bill caught, and numerous cookouts, too.

After retiring Gloria enjoyed more time to pursue her interests, which included spending time with her precious grandson, Luke. It was easy to see that he was the apple of her eye, and she viewed the day he was born as one of the highlights of her life. They did everything together like reading and playing trains. Gloria also had more time for painting, crocheting, gardening, bowling, camping, fishing, and watching favorite movies and television shows.

The things that made Gloria such an extraordinary woman are numerous. She was the life of the party at family reunions and fish fries, and who could ever forget Gloria’s crazy Halloween costumes. She had a great sense of humor and always found the best gag gifts. Because she was artistic, she also made some of the most creative homemade decorations and birthday cakes. In many ways Gloria was a kid at heart who often sang goofy songs and loved animated toys.

A lively, spirited, and fun-loving woman, Gloria Neumann certainly put the sparkle into the world around her. She was helpful and kindhearted toward others and always available with a listening ear. Gloria was a no frills sort of woman who had a casual sense of style, often dressed in slacks and shirts with casual shoes. She was never concerned with material wealth, but she was a firm believer in the notion that it is in the love we share with others that we find true happiness. Gloria leaves behind a timeless legacy to be carried on by the family and friends she treasured.

Gloria Jean Neumann of Alpena died on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Gloria’s family includes her husband, William (Bill); two daughters, Melissa of Fort Wayne, IN and Shelley of Ossineke; son, Greg of Alpena; grandson, Lucas William “Luke;” five sisters, Betty (Emil) Newhouse, Jeanette (David) Frary, Shirley (Herman) Riggs, Carole (Jimmy) Huston, Sondra Keen; and brother, Michael Suszek. Gloria was preceded in death by three brothers, Lloyd, Isadore Jr., “Shorty,” and Clarence; two sisters, Florence (Bill) Schliska and Ann (Merton) Gabara. Cremation arrangements have been made through McWilliams Funeral Home – Alpena. Visitation will be on Friday from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, April 27, 2013 from 12:00 p.m. until the time of the funeral service at the funeral home at 1:00 p.m. with Chaplain Bob Coen officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Hospice of the Sunrise Shore. Please visit Gloria’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or sign the on-line guest book.