Gloria Horton

Gloria Ann (Murray) Horton, 90, of Ithaca, formerly of Malvern, PA and Baltimore, MD, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 21, 2014. Born on September 24, 1924 in Nashua, NH, she was the daughter of the late John Sims and Natalie (Tippett) Murray. Gloria was the loving mother of Thomas Wood of Ithaca; Jerry (Marie) Horton of Worcester, MA; Duane (Jennifer) Horton of Portsmouth, RI; JoAnn (Richard Dunham) Horton, Wayne Horton and Barbara (Daniel Doerr) Horton, all of Ithaca; and Richard (Kelly) Horton of Pittsburgh, PA. She is also survived by her stepsons Charles Horton of Wadesboro, NC and James (Betty Jo) Horton of Signal Mountain, TN; her sister Elizabeth (Robert) Fraser of Baltimore, MD; nine grandchildren, John, Willis, Annika, Sophia, Marlena, Erik, Riley, Lydia and Benjamin; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, H. Burke Horton; stepson, Alan Horton; sisters, Jeanne Malcolm and Shirley Stude; and brother, John Murray Jr. Gloria was always determined, hard-working and unflappable. For example, in the mid 1950s she completed an Associate of Arts degree at George Washington University as a single mother with a full-time job. She worked in federal civil service for many years, most recently with the Social Security Administration in Ithaca. She also had a long career as a real estate salesperson. Throughout her life she volunteered for countless charitable and youth causes, and more recently she was a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca. Always frugal, she delighted in finding bargains at thrift stores, as well as cooking and baking, reading fiction, listening to classical music on the radio, playing tennis, and taking vacations at Rehoboth Beach, DE. But the center of Gloria's life was her family, and she was its heart and soul. Gloria will be fondly remembered for her friendly nature, loving selflessness, practical wisdom, steady, calming patience and snappy humor. May she be enfolded in perfect love and light as Heaven joyfully opens to receive her beautiful soul. There will be calling hours on Friday, November 28 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Bangs Funeral Home, 209 West Green Street, Ithaca. Services will be held on Saturday, November 29 at 11:00 AM at the funeral home with Rev. Kirianne Weaver Riehl
officiating. Interment will immediately follow the ceremony at Calvary Cemetery in Ithaca. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests that donations be made in Gloria's memory to the charity of your choice.