A Celebration of Life ceremony was held March 8 at Calvary Chapel of Merritt Island, Merritt Island, Fla. for Gloria (Kugler) Eswine. She passed away Feb. 28 of natural causes.
She was born and raised in Weehawken, the only child of Arthur P. and Emily C. Farrell-Kugler. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1939 and attended Berkley-Llewellyn Business College in New York City.
She worked for United Airlines, Pioneer Seminole Groves, Pioneer Chester Groves, Sullivan Victory Groves, Happy Alligator Groves, and Callaloo Beach Resort in Antigua, Carribean.
She volunteered as a Pink Lady at Wuesthoff Hospital; Gray Lady at St. Mary’s Catholic School; Brevard Veterans Memorial Museum & Military Museum, and enjoyed the last years working for the Election Board at the Rockledge Fire Station, where she spoiled all the firemen with her baked treats.
Gloria adored her family, her children are Kathy Newlin (Bill) of Orlando, Fla.; Bill Eswine (Sharon) of Savannah, Ga.; Chris Eswine (Dianne) of Viera, Fla.; Patty Lopez (Larry) of Viera, Fla.; and Susan Smouse (Marty) of Rockledge, Fla. She dearly loved her 16 grandchildren, Ryan, Buffy, Darla, Audrey, Shandy, Bette, Toi, Jeremy, David, Augusta, Chad, Tricia, Michael, Hannah, Adam and Miranda; her 18 great-grandchildren, Zachery, Madeline, Harrison, Luke, Katelynn, Tyler, Erik, Dalton, Karanna, Tiffany, Bria, Taren, Duane, Noah, Bailey, Nathan, Bryce, Brynna; one great-great grandchild, Paislee, born just last week; her cousin, Owen (Ronnie) Dunnigan, of Port Orange, Fla.
Her daughter, Karen Ashley, preceded her in death, in 2001, just before Gloria’s 80th birthday.
Her father served in the Army during World War I and her husband served in the Navy during World War II. She also was very active in the Ladies Auxiliary Fleet Reserve Association, Unit 263, and held office as the National President 1981-1982. Two of her most treasured memories are placing wreaths at the site of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. during her service as National President for the LAFRA. One of her favorite poems to recite was “In Flanders Field.” Her father had a flagpole in their front yard, flew the flag daily, and taught each of his grandchildren to properly raise, lower, and fold the American flag.
Over 70 years ago, she became a mother and enjoyed her years nurturing her six children, 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She raised her children at a home on Barton Avenue where she lived from 1959 to 1990. She then moved to Indian Oaks where she lived until 2012. She enjoyed doing crafts, playing Dominoes, and attending luncheons in her retirement community. She loved to watch basketball, tennis, ice skating and most Olympic Sports.
The family would like to express their deepest appreciation for the exceptional care given to Gloria at the Wilson Place ALF in Cocoa Beach and Wuesthoff Hospice Care.
Services arranged by Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, Rockledge, Fla.
ESWINE, GLORIA
