Gloria A. Long

Gloria Ann (Overstreet) Long, entered the kingdom of heaven on July 13, 2020, after a brief illness and hospitalization. She was born and raised by her parents Anna and Horace, in Indianapolis, Indiana along with her five siblings, Dorothy, Vernon, Nancy, Vaughn, and Rose. She was a fairly quiet person, with a quick wit at times, who was very talented and learned how to play the violin in her teenage years. She spent her first years of college at Butler University where she started her music degree. She lived in a sorority house nearby the campus, where she also worked to help pay her way. She later transferred to Indiana University soon after with her younger sister Rose who entered Butler as well. At Indiana University she met the love of her life, Dr. Robert W. Long Jr., at a Methodist social event on campus. While in college she worked for the local hospital to help as a nurse's assistant in the delivery rooms. Robert and Gloria married soon after graduation, in 1953. Around this time, Gloria was offered a seat in the Indiana Orchestra, but they decided it was more important to them, to have and raise their four children together, Alice, Katie, Robert and Celia. They lived initially in Texas, then Ohio and then finally moving to Tampa, Florida in 1962. Gloria supported her husband's career throughout, from his position at the Ohio Wesleyan University to the University of South Florida (USF); as the wife of a professor/ department chair, by hosting many events at their home and as a stay at home mom, to help raise their children. As her children got older, Gloria decided to go back to college at USF and work on her Fine Arts Degree. She would from time to time bring her assignments home to share with and teach her children about her passions and her love of art and music and how to improve these skills. We were all delighted to learn about the 'arts' through her talent and creativity. She has left behind numerous sculptures, paintings, drawings, as a testimony, which is now a part of our heritage. She also participated in the community, where she sang in the choir at the Forest Hills Methodist Church and taught some private violin and art lessons throughout those years in the Tampa area. Sadly, she lost her husband, Robert, to the effects of PKD in the summer of 1976. The years following his death brought many challenges to her, as her eldest children had gone off to college and she still had her two youngest children, at home. Thankfully, through her faith and community support, and even her family's support from across the miles Gloria persevered. She always found a way to use her creativity to solve her problems. She went back to work as a substitute teacher and even sold some of her beautiful artwork in a local, private gallery, but eventually decided to move back to Indiana when her youngest daughter Celia, went away to college. As the years progressed, Gloria moved again, to Georgia this time, to be with her daughter Katie, as she raised her three children. They helped to support one another throughout this time. Gloria continued the family tradition by teaching these grandchildren how to play piano and violin as well as learn about the arts and how to use various media. Gloria came back to her longtime home of Tampa to be near her youngest daughter Celia, in the spring of 2005 after the loss of her daughter Katie, to the effects caused by PKD. She continued to bring her talent and blessings to her two grandchildren in Tampa. She taught them music, art and became their example as a good Christian. She participated in church and all the family gatherings and helped as she could and enjoyed being the 'elder' and the 'center of attention' as she so deserved. Even as she aged, she would be the one who could walk faster than all of us, inspire us with her sweet smiles and strength through difficult times, and enjoy a meal out at her favorite seafood restaurant, Bonefish Grill, accompanied of course by a Budweiser Beer - and a straw! She mostly loved to be with, or hear from, her children, grandchildren and her whole family. She loved to send cards, write letters, and give gifts, and continued to carry this on with her grandchildren. Gloria was thrilled this past December, as she gave away her youngest child Celia, at her wedding, a day she had dreamed about had come true. It brought smiles and joy to her heart and even more so to be surrounded by her beloved family all day. You will be forever missed darling mother, sister, grandmother, mother-in-law, as you were loved by all of us and so many more that you touched. Gloria was sweet, caring, loving and a uniquely 'good' person - a princess, as her husband, my Dad would say. Your love, kindness and faithfulness will be remembered always, along with your sweet 'blow of a kiss' goodbye. Gloria is survived by her sister Rose Alice Stein (Michigan) and her children; Alice Long Lynch (Texas) and her husband Vincent Lynch, Robert W. Long III (Japan) and his wife Mila Long, and Celia Rose Nichols and her husband Joseph Richard Giunta (Florida). As well as her ten grandchildren; Zachary Lynch, Olivia Conti, Galen Conti, Patrick Lynch, Anna Conti, Christopher Nichols, Ava Lynch, Jeremy Long, Stephen Nichols, and Joshua Long. And her nephews and nieces; Tim, Sue, Kaja, Steve, Tom, Bruce, Ruth, Margaret, Annie, Rosemarie, Becky, Jennifer and Daniel and their families. A small family service will be held Saturday, July 25th, 2020 at 10 am, in the Chapel at the Ashland Cemetery, 1518 Belmont St., Ashland, KY. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the PKD Foundation, at support.pkdcure.org, in memory and honor of Gloria A. Long.