I am heartbroken over the loss of my beautiful Aunt Gladys. Though she was technically my great aunt, she never let that distance define our relationship. She always made an effort to stay in touch and spend time with my mom, my two sisters, and me. She had a remarkable gift for making everyone in her life feel special and loved.
It was a tough adjustment when she moved to Florida, but we always made sure to visit her whenever we were in Florida—no matter how long the drive. Aunt Gladys would give us girls her bedroom to stay in and leave us little goodie bags filled with the latest trendy items. We always looked forward to our visits with her and her sweet dog, Popper. She’d take us to all her favorite spots: Steak ‘n Shake, Checkers, Frenchy’s, the mall, and Clearwater Beach. We had the best time. And, of course, her freezer was always fully stocked with ice cream—because with Aunt Gladys, there was always room for ice cream.
When my sister Lauren and I were in college, we got to travel to Florida on our own for spring break and planned a visit with Aunt Gladys. Just like when we were kids, she had everything ready—her room made up for us, and yes, goodie bags too! She even let us use her car to get around. We felt like royalty.
She loved and adored her son Rob and her grandchildren, Stephy and Little Robbie. She was endlessly proud of them and would light up whenever she spoke about them or showed us their newest pictures.
Aunt Gladys will be sorely missed by so many, she was one of a kind and her laugh is unforgettable. I’m grateful to have so many beautiful memories to look back on—memories I will always hold close to my heart.
I love you so much, Aunt Gladys. Rest peacefully.
With love,
Melinda (Matthews) Delaney