July 18, 1931 - July 29, 2018 OBITUARY GLORIA BARTHELMES PASSED AWAY ON JULY 29,2018. DEVOTED WIFE OF THE LATE ERICH. BELOVED MOM OF HOLLY SPRINGER (JOHN), MARK (GENY), AND JEFFREY (KAREN). CHERISHED GRANDMA OF KRISTY, NICOLE, STEPHANIE, MICHELLE, AND ERICH. LOVING GREAT GRANDMA OF ANDREW, CHARLOTTE, JAMES, AND CONNOR. CARING SISTER OF EDWARD, AND THE LATE JOHN. LONGTIME COMPANION OF THE LATE JOHN DOHERTY. VISITATION WEDNESDAY 2-4:30PM & 7-9:30PM AT NEW HYDE PARK FUNERAL HOME, 506 LAKEVILLE ROAD, NEW HYDE PARK. FUNERAL MASS THURSDAY MORNING AT 11:15AM AT ST. JOSEPH’S RC CHURCH, GARDEN CITY, NY. INTERMENT ST. CHARLES CEMETERY. GLORIA WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN QUEENS, NY- WITH HER PARENTS, JOHN AND BERNIECE, AND TWO BROTHERS, JOHN AND EDWARD. ALTHOUGH SHE GREW UP WITH NOT HAVING MANY MATERIAL THINGS AND A VERY HUMBLE BEGINNING, THEY THRIVED AS A HAPPY FAMILY. THE CHILDREN ALL ATTENDED CATHOLIC SCHOOL, GIVING THEM WHAT SHE LATER IN LIFE LEARNED, A FOUNDATION OF FAITH IN GOD. SHE ATTENDED A SECRETARIAL SCHOOL WHEREBY SHE LEARNED SECRETARIAL SKILLS WHICH SHE PERFECTED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL. HER VERY FIRST JOB NOT ONLY JUMP STARTED HER CAREER, THIS IS WHERE SHE MET HER LIFELONG FRIEND NAMED MARY. DURING THIS TIME, THE TWO LADIES MET THEIR SOON- TO-BE PROSPECTIVE HUSBANDS. EVENTUALLY BOTH COUPLES ALSO HAD CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM FORMED A BOND AND FRIENDSHIP THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. GLORIA NEVER LOOKED AT WHAT SHE DIDN’T HAVE, SHE WOULD COME TO LEARN HOW TO SEW HER OWN CLOTHES. SHE HAD THE SPECIAL ABILITY TO PUT TOGETHER AN ENTIRE OUTFIT FROM HEAD TO TOE JUST AS WELL AS A PROFESSIONAL FASHION DESIGNER. SHE ALSO HAD A FLAIR FOR WRITING, SHE WOULD TAKE AN ORDINARY GREETING CARD AND WRITE SOMETHING IN THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TRADEMARKED BY HALLMARK. IT DEEPLY TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS EACH TIME SHE WROTE A CARD TO THEM. TOGETHER WITH HER HUSBAND, ERICH, THEY HAD A DAUGHTER, HOLLY, AND A SON, JEFFREY, AND A YOUNGER SON, MARK. THEY FOLLOWED IN HER PARENTS’ FOOTSTEPS PROVIDING A CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN, ONCE AGAIN GIVING THEM THE FOUNDATION OF A BELIEF IN GOD. AS HER CHILDREN GOT OLDER, GLORIA DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE WORK FORCE. THIS TIME, WITH HER EXPERTISE, CONFIDENCE AND SHARPENED SKILLS, SHE SECURED A SECRETARIAL JOB WITH CHASE MANHATTAN BANK AND ROSE TO THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE DIVISION EXECUTIVE OF 63 REGIONAL BRANCHES. IT WAS A JOB WHICH SHE DEDICATED HERSELF TO UNTIL THE AGE OF 70. AFTER 35 YEARS OF MARRIAGE AND AFTER THE PASSING OF HER HUSBAND ERICH, GLORIA EVENTUALLY MET A FRIEND NAMED JOHN DOHERTY. THEY BECAME CONSTANT COMPANIONS. HE HAD THE KNACK OF EASILY MAKING HER LAUGH AND THEY ALWAYS ENJOYED EACH OTHERS’ COMPANY. THEY LOVED TOCOOK TOGETHER, THEY BOTH SHARED A PASSION OF MUSIC AND DANCE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY LOVED TO ATTEND MASS AT ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH TOGETHER. OVER THE YEARS THAT THEY SHARED TOGETHER, WHILE LIVING IN SEPARATE HOUSES, THEY NEVER MISSED A NIGHT SAYING THEIR EVENING PRAYERS ON THE TELEPHONE WITH EACH OTHER. WHILE JOHN WAS TERMINALLY ILL FROM CANCER, HE GOT TO SEE IN PERSON THAT GLORIA WAS SAFE AND CARED FOR AT THE ATRIA. SHORTLY AFTER THAT LAST VISIT THEY SHARED TOGETHER, HE PASSED. GLORIA WAS STRONG WILLED, FOCUSED, AND GENEROUS. UNTIL THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, SHE LIVED HER LIFE CAPABLY AND INDEPENDENTLY. SHE SUFFERED SEVERAL STROKES WHICH CAUSED HER HEALTH TO DECLINE. THIS LED HER TO RELOCATE FROM THE COMFORT OF HER CONDO IN GARDEN CITY INTO TO AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY. JUST AFTER A YEAR OR SO, HER SITUATION WORSENED, CAUSING HER TO MOVE TO MARYVILLE, IN GREENLAWN. ON SUNDAY, JULY 29TH, SHE WAS MOVED TO HOSPICE, WHERE SHE PASSED PEACEFULLY WITHIN HOURS OF ARRIVING, AT THE AGE OF 87. VISITATION Wednesday, August 8 2:00 - 4:30 PM & 7:00 - 9:30 PM New Hyde Park Funeral Home
506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL Thursday, August 9 11:15 AM St. Joseph's RC Church
130 5th St, Garden City, NY INTERMENT St. Charles Cemetery
2015 Wellwood Avenue, Farmingdale, NY