Gloria Faunda, 81, passed away peacefully at her daughter's home in Alameda, CA on September 26, 2023, with her children at her side. Gloria was the beloved daughter of the late Marcos and Isabel Gomez. She was a cherished sister to the late Frances Almaguer, Emilio Gomez, Lucy Navarro, and Bobby Gomez. She is survived by her siblings Ernesto Gomez, Crusita Miranda, Bertha Garcia, Dolores Navarro, and Esther Rodriguez.
Gloria was a devoted mother and is survived by her loving children, Ruben Torres and his wife Denise of Avondale AZ; Teresa McLaren and her husband Michael of Alameda, CA; Deana Karch and her husband Kenneth of Bend, OR.
Gloria, known to all her grandkids and their friends as “Nana,” was a doting grandmother to Colin, Calum, Gavin, Zack, Connor, and Eva. She was also blessed with many nieces and nephews. “Nana” was also beloved by many of her children’s friends.
Born on December 4, 1941, in Simi Valley, California, Gloria grew up in Southern California until her parents purchased their own farm in Columbus, NM. She graduated from Deming High School in Deming, NM, married and then spent several years in Deming until her over 30-year career with AT&T took her to Tucson, AZ; Englewood, CO; and Washington, NJ. After retirement, she ventured to Anniston, AL, El Paso, TX, Las Vegas, NV, Avondale, AZ; and eventually settled in Bent, NM. Everyplace she lived, she forged long-lasting friendships that stood the test of time.
Gloria first assumed the role of “Nana” in 1998 with the birth of her oldest grandson, Colin Karch. It was a title that she relished and fulfilled with outstanding devotion and affection. Her grandchildren were lucky to find her at every significant life milestone. They would soon become familiar with her boisterous cries of encouragement at any sporting event they would compete at. She spent many months over the years living with her children, helping raise her grandchildren, and creating memories they will cherish forever.
In her free time, she enjoyed playing Bingo, was an avid reader and card player, and passionately loved professional football. Sunday was reserved for cheering on the underdog and protesting at the outcomes of her bets. Gloria was also a fantastic cook, and so many of us were blessed to gather around the table to enjoy that little bit of love from her. But anyone who knew Gloria knew that her greatest joy was spending time with her family; she always found ways to make each of her loved ones feel special and would never miss an opportunity to encourage them to pursue their dreams. Nana will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. She was a radiant woman with wit and sass. She was always thinking of others, converted friends to be family and was warm, kind and generous; she will forever be remembered and vividly by those whose lives she touched.
The family will hold a private memorial service to celebrate Gloria’s life and honor her memory at an undetermined date. Memorial contributions can be made to the THANC (Thyroid, Head & Neck Cancer) Foundation, which develops research and education in the early detection and treatment of thyroid, head, and neck cancer ( https://thanc.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate-in-honor-memory ).
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