Jan. 25, 1941-Aug. 1, 2024
Gloria Peterson returned to her Heavenly Father on Aug. 1, 2024.
Gloria Ann Huffman was born Jan. 25, 1941, in Van Nuys, California. She was the youngest of six daughters born to Donald Kelly Huffman and Alma Athella Leavitt. Can you imagine? Six girls and a mother. The Huffman family was in Van Nuys because Grandpa Huffman was working at a bank. Within the year, the family was moving back to Bunkerville, Nevada, where Grandma Huffman was from.
They bought a farm in Riverside, about six miles west of Bunkerville. The girls and grandma helped take care of the small property the family lovingly called, “the Ranch.”
In about 1955, the house there burned to the ground and the family (there were only two girls left at home) moved to Bunkerville because of the generosity of the Ward at Bunkerville.
Gloria attended the old Virgin Valley High School in Bunkerville for two years and then graduated from the newly constructed facility in Mesquite. She played the flute in the high school band.
She was a beautiful young lady and had several boys pursuing her, and was in fact, proposed to twice. One of those was by Kenneth (who went by Pete) who, on a school bus on a school trip and as only a sophomore in high school asked, “Gloria, why don’t you marry me?” to which she replied, “OK.”
They were married right out of high school on July 23, 1959. Her parents were thrilled with Kenneth. His parents weren’t so excited about the marriage as there was an expectation to serve a mission.
They honeymooned at Bryce Canyon National Park and then went to Reno to attend school. Kenneth went to school and work each day and was gone for long hours. Gloria was a dutiful wife. Their oldest child Pete was born in August 1960 in Reno and Gloria was incredibly homesick. The small family moved to Henderson where Ken went to work at Titanium, and they were only an hour away from Virgin Valley. While living in the Vegas Valley, their second son Kelly was born in St. George in 1962.
Kenneth returned to school in Salt Lake where mom went to work. She was a waitress at a pizzeria. She brought home a pizza and introduced Kenneth to his one ever.
They then moved back to the Vegas Valley and lived in North Las Vegas on Statz Street. While Ken was at work she would stand out on the street and allow her “big boys”, 2 and 4 to walk down a half a block to Joe’s Bar to buy milk and candy.
Just in time for the birth of Terri in 1964, they moved into their first home in Las Vegas. Gloria worked at J.C. Penney for a short time. In 1971, they upgraded to a newer home for their grand finale, LeAnn. They lived in that home until Kenneth retired.
They then moved into his parents’ home in Littlefield. She loved it and she hated it. The peaceful quiet with the water in the ditch trickling by made her happy. The drive to anywhere made her lonely.
She worked in the Temple for a time and supported Kenneth as he continued to do so after she no longer could.
Gloria was a fierce advocate for her kids and grandkids. She was even the devoted “mother” to three of her grandkids. She attended dance recitals, baptisms, graduations, soccer games and the weddings of her grandchildren.
Until the week before she died, she wanted a Hummer or a Jeep. When one asked her why, she said so she could go anywhere she wanted.
She lost her soulmate and best friend “Big Pete” on Aug. 22, 2022.
She is preceded in death by her doting husband, her daughter LeAnn, grandson-in-law Brian Oldroyd, her parents and her parent-in-laws.
She is survived by Pete (Beverly), Kelly and Terri (Paul Cahoon); 12 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Littlefield, Arizona, LDS Chapel, at 11 a.m. A viewing will be held prior to the services from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the same location.
Family and friends are invited to click here to share tributes online. Arrangements and memorial tree planting by Serenity Funeral Home of Southern Utah, 435-986-9100.