Gloria Esther Shively
April 19, 1924 — April 7, 2023
Gloria Esther Shively, April 19, 1924- April 7, 2023
Gloria Esther Shively (née Martínez Ponce de León) passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, April 7, just two weeks before her 99th birthday. Gloria was born and raised in Santiago de Cuba, where she was the youngest of seven siblings. While attending university in Havana, she met her first husband, Patricio Obregón. Sadly, he passed away less than a decade later due to natural causes. In 1961, Gloria fled to the United States with her two young children.
Gloria worked in a factory while pursuing her university studies. She graduated from what is now Ashland University with a teaching degree and went on to teach Spanish at Plymouth High School (Ohio) and Mansfield Senior High School (Ohio). During this time, she also worked as a waitress, where she met her second husband, Jude Shively. However, she eventually became frustrated with teaching and interned in Histology at Mansfield General Hospital. She later became a Histotechnologist and Supervisor of the Histology Laboratory, a position she held until her retirement.
Gloria is survived by her children, The Very Rev. Fr. Ernesto M Obregón (Denise) and Patricia Conley, as well as grandchildren: Elisa Auffhammer, Caterina Reese (Derek), Rosa Cannaverde (Nicolas), Mark Howard, and John Conley. She also leaves behind 12 great-grandchildren and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Gloria was a fantastic and strong woman who made many sacrifices to provide for her children as a single mother. She also helped many of her family members come to the United States.
A Vigil Prayer service will be held at Patterson Funeral Home, located at 1498 5th Ave in Pleasant Grove, AL 35127, on Tuesday, April 11 at 2:00 pm. The funeral will take place at Holy Infant of Prague Catholic Church, located at 8090 Gadsden Hwy in Trussville, AL 35173, on Wednesday, April 12 at 11:00 am.
Gloria Esther Shively (née Martínez Ponce de León) passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, April 7, just two weeks before her 99th birthday. Gloria was born and raised in Santiago de Cuba, where she was the youngest of seven siblings. While attending university in Havana, she met her first husband, Patricio Obregón. Sadly, he passed away less than a decade later due to natural causes. In 1961, Gloria fled to the United States with her two young children.
Gloria worked in a factory while pursuing her university studies. She graduated from what is now Ashland University with a teaching degree and went on to teach Spanish at Plymouth High School (Ohio) and Mansfield Senior High School (Ohio). During this time, she also worked as a waitress, where she met her second husband, Jude Shively. However, she eventually became frustrated with teaching and interned in Histology at Mansfield General Hospital. She later became a Histotechnologist and Supervisor of the Histology Laboratory, a position she held until her retirement.
Gloria is survived by her children, The Very Rev. Fr. Ernesto M Obregón (Denise) and Patricia Conley, as well as grandchildren: Elisa Auffhammer, Caterina Reese (Derek), Rosa Cannaverde (Nicolas), Mark Howard, and John Conley. She also leaves behind 12 great-grandchildren and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Gloria was a fantastic and strong woman who made many sacrifices to provide for her children as a single mother. She also helped many of her family members come to the United States.
A Vigil Prayer service will be held at Patterson Funeral Home, located at 1498 5th Ave in Pleasant Grove, AL 35127, on Tuesday, April 11 at 2:00 pm. The funeral will take place at Holy Infant of Prague Catholic Church, located at 8090 Gadsden Hwy in Trussville, AL 35173, on Wednesday, April 12 at 11:00 am.
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