Sept. 27, 1936 ~ July 19, 2023
On July 19, 2023, Gloria K. Hunter graduated from mortality with high honors.
Her beautiful soul has left a deep impact on all those who knew her here in mortality. Our hearts ache because of our separation but we know it is temporary and we will be with her again.
Gloria was born in Van Nuys, California, on September 27, 1936, to Frank and Elva Kershaw. She was the oldest of three girls, Gloria, Dianne and Judy, and the bond she has with her sisters is strong. Whenever they were together, they would visit and giggle for hours, a memory cherished by their children. Growing up, the girls loved playing outside. Gloria loved the beach, hiking in the red hills of St. George and swimming in the warm springs in Washington with cousins.
In their youth Gloria and her sisters enjoyed sports and were apparently successful as they were nicknamed "Killer Kershaws" by their schoolmates. Glo loved sports all her life, both playing and watching. She was the Roller Derby queen. She was also an excellent student, always striving for A's. After graduating from Van Nuys High School she attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she studied Elementary Education. William Don Hunter (Bill) saw her on campus, fell in love at first sight and said "There goes the girl I am going to marry." They met and began to date. Bill, who had been drafted into the army after high school and served two years before he attended BYU, was then called on a church mission. While apart, Bill and Gloria wrote to each other. After his return, on August 8, 1959, in the Los Angeles temple, Bill's prophecy was fulfilled and they were sealed together for time and all eternity; a commitment in mortality lasting more than 64 years.
In 1959-1960 Gloria taught 2nd grade in Springville, and Bill finished his degree. Then they moved to California and lived and worked there for 6 years. Gloria taught school, and they hoped for children. Their hopes were unrealized for seven years and Gloria ached for the blessing of having her own children. Finally, Gloria was expecting a baby! She was cautious and hopeful, and in summer of 1966, she gave birth to a little girl they named Karen. Fifteen months later Julie followed and then Jill and finally Kathy. Gloria's heart was so grateful for her husband and daughters that for the rest of her life she daily expressed her gratitude to God for this blessing.
In 1967, Gloria and Bill moved to Holladay in Salt Lake City. The Hunter family lived in Salt Lake City for ten years. Gloria knitted, crocheted, bottled fruit, quilted, sewed clothes for her girls, read books to them, made friends, served her neighbors often, bringing them small handmade gifts or homemade bread, and served faithfully in church callings. The family camped, rode bikes, played in the snow and enjoyed their time in Holladay.
Gloria's father, Frank Kershaw, was an immigrant from England and was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Karen and Julie remember their mom taking them to the Genealogical library in Salt Lake City often, to pore over records in search for her ancestors. Her entire life, Gloria researched and found family names and then tied those ancestors together to her family through temple work. She even traveled with her sister and daughters to England to discover more records.
In 1977, the family moved to Fillmore, Utah. Gloria enjoyed the quiet life of Fillmore. She began teaching school again in 1980, and taught third grade at Fillmore Elementary for 20 years! She enjoyed teaching. She was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1992-1993. She finally retired in 2001, with a reputation for helping children understand and excel in academics, but also for educating with gentleness. She genuinely loved each of her students and they loved her.
In Fillmore, Gloria loved walking down by Chalk Creek, looking for arrowheads and rock hunting, watching her kid's ball games, sewing prom dresses, making popcorn and gumdrop Christmas cake, reading many books, going for rides, camping and vacationing. Gloria was always smiling and found humor in every situation; sometimes that situation was stuck, in a car, somewhere on a mountain road, with Bill and the kids.
Gloria has been known to cheat in dodgeball, enjoy the sunshine, especially on the beach, laugh and giggle often, play kickball competitively, wrap all the Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve, and cheer for the Utah Jazz and the BYU Cougars. When Gloria became a grandma, she was over the moon with joy, and often played with and watched her grandkids in their sports, activities, performances, and concerts.
Gloria was a peacemaker, and spent her life serving her friends and neighbors, her family, and her God in many different capacities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was committed to following Jesus each day of her mortal journey. We are so grateful for her legacy. "We, love, you, you, you Grandma!"
Gloria is survived by her husband William Don Hunter, by her sister Judy Nance, by her daughters, Karen (Mark) Beeston, Julie (Jay) Day, Jill (Dean) Clark, Kathy (Brian) Bagwell, by her 18 grandchildren and their spouses, Erin, Brad, Amy, Beth, Abby, Grace, Launa, Kenny, Blake, Andy, Tyler, Jeffrey, Riley, Kyle, Austin, Trevor, Mark, Ben and by 14 1/2 great-grandchildren.
Services for Gloria will be held on Saturday, August 5, at 1282 West 500 South, St. George, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. and a funeral service at 11:30 a.m., followed by a graveside ceremony at Tonaquint Cemetery.
