Gloria Waite

Gloria Waite

August 12, 1928 - October 31, 2022

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Obituary

MONONA - Gloria Waite passed away peacefully on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, at the age of 94. She was the beloved wife of William F. Waite; loving mother of Lisa Waite, Nancy (John) Arevalo, Pete (Carrie) Waite and John (Kathy) Waite. Proud grandmother of Ryan (Carissa) Waite, Eric (Katie) Waite, Tyler (Amy) Waite, Trevor (Raegan) Waite, Tanner Waite, Ruth (Jonathan) Gonzalez, Ellyn (Luke) Steidl, Joseph (Megan) Arevalo and Meredith Arevalo. Great-grandmother of Jocelyn, Keira, Gracie, Felicity, Larson, Andrew, Eliot, Lucy and Wesley.


Gloria’s greatest joys were her family and her faith. She loved to see her family gathered, whether for holidays or reunions. Her church family, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, was dear to her heart for 60 years. Gloria touched many lives with her loving care and maintained lifelong friendships with old friends yet continued making new friends in each season of life.


Born Aug. 12, 1928, in Milwaukee, Gloria graduated from Washington High School and then did secretarial work for Anaconda and Pittsburgh Plate Glass. She married her husband, Bill, in 1953 after his service in the Korean Conflict. Gloria and Bill moved to Monona in 1962 and lived in their house for 54 years. There, they raised their four children and were very involved in the community.


Gloria loved sewing, gardening, knitting, reading, traveling and volunteering. She especially loved teaching Sunday school, a practice she started when she was a teenager. She continued to serve children by teaching Sunday School into her 80s. She was a woman of tremendous faith whose life and legacy could have more impact than she would ever imagine.


Gloria’s life was rich and well-lived. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, John and Meta Podges; and her sister, Judy. There are no words to describe how deeply she was loved and how deeply missed she will be.


A memorial service will be held at ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 4011 Major Ave., Madison, on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. A visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. and the service will begin at 11:30 a.m.


In place of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church or the Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Rd., Monona, WI 53716.  Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420



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Gloria
RC
Renee Celley
Other •
Sorry for your loss Lisa. I remember oh so many years ago, coming to play with you and the welcoming smile your mom alway had. She was a loving mom. May she rest in peace. Renee (Moran)
DG
Dale Ganser
Other •
My parents, Hugh & Georgianne Ganser, were so grateful to call Gloria and Bill friends. When I moved to Monona as an adult I would run in to them at the bakery on Monona Drive regularly. Gloria will be in my prayers this week. Dale Ganser
PS
Pete Sufka
Other •
Peter and Carrie, please accept condolences from Kathy and me. Your mom and dad were both such wonderful people. I especially welcomed their input with the swim team. Pete Sufka
LS
Liz Swingen
Other •
Peter and family, I was so sad to read of your mom's passing. She was a delight to visit with when she came in for her appointments. We always caught up on family and Monona friends we had in common. I feel so special to have had her reach out to me a couple of weeks ago, I am only sorry I didn't get to see her one more time. She was a special person I feel grateful to have known. Liz Swingen
LD
Larry Dallia
Other •
Gloria was the first person to greet us at the end of the service at St. Lukes on our first visit. She was welcoming, friendly and made us feel at home. That was the fall of 1980, we had just moved to Madiosn. She was instrumental in getting us to join the Tuesday Bible Study. She always exhibited kindness, humility, patience, and hospitality. She was a model for living the Christian life. She is now reunited with Bill and in the presence of Jesus. Our loss is heaven's gain.
RT
Randi Thorson
Other •
To the Waite Family, We loved Gloria and Bill dearly. They were great supportive friends to us and our family. We never thought of them as being that much older than we were. Gloria and Bill shepherded us into our faith community of St. Luke's Episcopal Church about 37 years ago. They had our family over to their home many, many times. They always were there at our children's special events, and Gloria had them all in Sunday School. Gloria was our daughter Julia's Godmother. Gloria was an excellent Godmother, she never forgot our Julia on special days, and she prayed for her everyday. Blessings to the Waite Family! Gloria and Bill were some of the best of the best, now gone but never forgotten. Most Sincerely, David and Randi Thorson and Family

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