Gloria Ann Welch

Gloria Ann Hill was born on August 29, 1931, near Mt. View, OK, to Lois G. and Lillie Mae (Witten) Hill. She passed from this life on November 22, 2022, at the age of 91. Gloria moved frequently all of her life. She lived in Mt. View, OK , until age 5 when she them moved to Port Arthur, TX, for a few months. The family then moved to Carnegie, OK, where Gloria attended Kindergarten. Gloria then moved north of Mt. View where she attended 1st through 5th grade at Cottonwood. At that time she moved to Beaumont, TX. Gloria skipped the 6th grade, attending 7th and 8th grade at McArthur Junior High School. She attended South Park Senior High her 9th grade year and the first semester of her 10th grade year. At South Park Gloria was in the Drum and Bugle Corp where she played the drums. Gloria was also elected Girl Favorite 9th and 10th grade years. At the end of the first semester of her Sophomore year, she moved to Oklahoma City, OK, where she attended Capitol Hill High School through her Senior year. Gloria was active in the Ki-Pi Pep Club and was voted Football Queen her junior year, by the football team. John Welch was voted team Captain and crowned Gloria Queen. Gloria was elected her Senior year as a member of Student Council and Vice President of the Ki-Yi Pep Club . She was also a delegate on the All City Co-Ed Board for CHHS, in which there were 4 delegated from each of the 4 Oklahoma City high schools . Gloria graduated high school in 1948. Gloria and John Welch were united in marriage October 30, 1948, and would have been married 72 years in 2020, when John passed away. Gloria and John have five children: Kathie Lynn Hood, Jane Ellen Bagerian, Jerry Bob Welch, and twin sons who passed away after living just a few hours.

Gloria worked several jobs while John attended college and seminary to become a Methodist minister. They lived in Oklahoma City, Spencer, and then Dallas, TX, for three years until John graduated Southern Methodist University in 1962. Gloria and John served pastoral appointments at Pond Creek, Maysville/Whitebead, Pryor, McAlester, Clinton, and Altus before moving to Bartlesville for 8 years where John served as District Supt. and Gloria served as his secretary and office manager. Even though it was not a paying job, Gloria typed hundreds of sermons and bulletins over the many years. Gloria worked at Southwestern Bell, Clinton Chamber of Commerce, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to name a few. Gloria and John retired and moved to Norman where they lived and attended McFarlin United Methodist Church until her health required her to move to Purcell closer to family and then to Lexington Nursing Home where she lived until her passing. Gloria loved being a minister’s wife and enjoyed the many clubs that she was a member of throughout the years.

Gloria is preceded in death by her husband, John and twin sons; her parents, her sister Theta Deloris Mock and her husband Frank; her cousin, who was like a sister, Betty Ruth Kidd and her husband Don; in-laws Loyd and Helen Welch; a special aunt and uncle Buck and Billie Leary; brother-in-law Loyd Welch and wife Donna; brother-in-law Bill Cockrell; and sister-in-law Carol Welch.

Gloria is survived by daughters: Kathy L. Hood and husband Jack of Purcell, OK; Jane Bagerian and husband Chris of Dallas, TX; son Jerry B. Welch of Moore, OK; sister-in-law Billie Cockrell of OKC; brother-in-law Joe Welch of Lenexa, KS; cousins Donna Patterson and husband David of Sapulpa, OK; and JoAnn Johnson and husband Jim of Midwest, OK.

Gloria is also survived by:

Grandchildren: Stacy Carter; Kelly Romesburg and husband Garret; and Tiffany Amber Jessee. Also Erich Hood and wife Jennifer; Robin Rist and husband Marvin; Cory Hood and wife Rachel; Benjamin Hood; and Kelly Staller and husband Clark.

Great grandchildren: Jillian Langford and husband Caleb, Taylor Farrell; Kamdyn and Karter Stokes and Hudson Romesburg; Madison and Makayla Jessee. Also Tristen, Julien, Erica and Neo Hood; Nicole and Rheanin Rist; Alex Hood and Haleigh, and Jordan Hood; Ulysses and Ryker Staller.

Also, precious great, great granddaughters McKenna Shea Lynn Self and Aria Lynn Acasia Salas, and a little boy to be born in February, 2023, that Gloria was so excited about.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, December 2, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church, Maysville, OK under the direction of John W. Williams of Winans Funeral Home, Maysville. Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.winansfuneralhome.com

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