Gloria Tafoya

Gloria J.  Tafoya passed peacefully on October 4, 2023.  She was surrounded by her loving family.  Gloria was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming and married Lee Tafoya on January 12, 1951.  Upon marriage, they moved to California, where Lee was stationed in the Navy during the Korean War.  Gloria enjoyed their time in California, as she and Lee spent hours with the Navy  wounded sailors.  

Upon their return to Cheyenne, they lived in a small apartment until they could finish building their first home.  They both enjoyed attending the Assembly of God Church.  Gloria was able to be a stay at home mother, until her three daughters were old enough for her to seek employment.  She went to work for Holding's Little America two weeks prior to their opening and remained until her retirement 35 years later.  While working there, several of the initial employees and the Holdings became very close personal friends, which continued until her death.  This group was often referred to as the "committee", which included several of her fellow managers. She considered it a privilege to call Earl and Carol Holding friends. Upon Lee's death Gloria worked at Rosie O's coffee cart at the hospital, where she became a "favorite" of all the hospital employees.

Gloria also enjoyed sewing, embroidery, counted cross stich, crocheting, dolls and miniatures.  She also was a member of Cheyenne Women's Civic League for many years and helped make hundreds of ornaments for the annual Christmas House.

Her greatest joy was the many hours spent with Lee, her daughters and extended grandkids and great grandkids.  The annual Christmas trip to Denver was very important to her, along with the "traditional" family dinners for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  A family trip to Hawaii in 1983 was one of her greatest memories.  Laughter was an essential part of any activity that the family was involved in.  Family picnics in the park were a great time to share any and all of our shenanigans.  

Church was always very important to Gloria.  Sunday morning service at Cheyenne Hills Church was a personal mandate.  She enjoyed studying her Bible and attending a small Bible study group at the Landmark Condominiums, where she resided for almost 20 years.  Afternoons spent on the patio at the Landmark, were also one of her favorite activities.

Friday evenings were a special time for her, as her nephew Danny O'Grady and his wife Trish always invited her for dinner, frequently including her niece, Bonnie Kaanaana, from Hawaii when visiting.

Her family would like to thank Bonnie Kaanaana and Carol Tafoya for the care and love provided to Gloria over the last several months of Gloria's life.  Their help was immeasurable and greatly appreciated!

Gloria was sweet and kind to everyone she met.  She would help anyone that needed it, whether asked or not.

Gloria was preceded in death by her loving husband, Lee, parents Jess and Lorene Tucker, brothers Wilford, Von Dell, Johnny, and sisters Donna Jane, Doris and Carol.  She is survived by her brother, Larry Tucker, daughters Brenda Fernandez (Pat), Marla Norman (Greg) and Monica Perkins (David), grandchildren Felix Bocanegra, Stephen Bocanegra (Meredith), Lazaro Fernandez (Heather), Tasha Marshall (Rob Eichhorn), Jennifer Morrison (Chris), Corey Lincoln (Emily), Cristopher Lincoln, Kathleen Perkins (Justin), Kellie Johnson (Colt)and great grandchildren Ashlee Western (Ethan), Cameron Marshall (Amanda), Noah Fernandez (Kenslie), Atalie Marshall (Michael James), Isaac Edmondson, Daniel Cox, Elijah Cox, Hannaniah Cox, Nora Bocanegra and Samuel Bocanegra.    
 
Services will be held Wednesday, October 11th at 1:30 pm at Cheyenne Hills Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cheyenne Hills Church, which she loved.