Gloria is an active and friendly woman who values connection and looks forward to finding more companionship in her life. At 80, she has faced some health challenges this year—including a broken leg and kidney stones—but she’s steadily regaining strength, driving again, and working her way up to daily walks. Although she has lived in her cozy mobile home for five years, something that deeply saddens her is that a planned community center near her home was never built. She had expected the center to be a huge social outlet for her.
Gloria’s best buddy is Buddy, her 20-pound, 15-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, who came to her from Sartell, MN, through Free Pets Minnesota. Buddy, a born snuggler, has been a faithful companion and brings much joy to her daily life.
Born in St. Paul, Gloria mostly grew up in Lake City, south of Red Wing, which she still calls her hometown. She was very close to her brother George—“thick as thieves,” as she says—and they spent carefree days exploring the natural world along the riverbanks. Though they lost touch for years following his service in Vietnam, they’ve reconnected and now talk daily despite him living in Georgia. Gloria married her husband, John, in 1963, raised two daughters, and is now a proud grandmother to two grandsons and one granddaughter (a talented baker and cake decorator).
Gloria built a meaningful career working for the Federal Aviation Administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Veterans Administration, where she supported military families.
She would love a companion who enjoys thrifting, antiquing, and casual outings for pizza or Dairy Queen. Yard sales and visits to the senior center would also be fun.
