Gloria Ellen Henderson Sinclair Atwood slipped gracefully into the eternities and the tender embrace of her Loving Companion Woody, in the early morning hours of December 8, 2017. Gloria\s return home to her Heavenly Father was symbolic of the way she lived her life as her last expressions to the family members and caretakers who surrounded her were those of peaceful gratitude, gentle acceptance and abiding love.
Gloria E. H. Sinclair Atwood was born December 10, 1927 in Hackensack, New Jersey, the third child and daughter of John H. Sinclair and Mary Catherine Fletcher. Gloria was fond of saying that she was named after the American Flag \"Ole Glory\" and that her birth on American soil was a blessing as she would later leave Scotland, where she spent her childhood and young adult years, and return to the States to find her Sweetheart, M.H. Woody Atwood, some 30 years later.
Gloria\s life was full of adventure and good times well spent. Although she experienced several illnesses as a child and young adult she enjoyed a vibrant and fulfilling life. Gloria would often reminisce of time spent living on the family House Boat, rowing Loch Lomand, taking long walks through the lush green country side and \"taking lunch\" on the grounds surrounding the castle in Balloch where her parents owned and operated a tea room. Gloria enjoyed many activities in her youth and would often tell the most riveting stories including tales of the time she spent \"mastering the art of Fencing\" which she thoroughly enjoyed and would at times laughingly insist she was indeed \"rather good at!\"
Gloria was always a practical woman with great presence of mind and was actually able to be instrumental in saving the life of an infant, who would have drowned without Gloria\s intervention, and a women who would have likely been fatally injured if Gloria had not positioned herself on a grand staircase in the path of the tumbling woman, absorbing the blow and stopping her fall.
Gloria enjoyed talking of her adventures while living as an \"Evacuee\" in Aberdeen County during World War II. While there she attended Fife School in Aberdeenshire where there still hangs a plaque displaying her name as the top student of her class, an accomplishment that she was secretly quite proud of as she out performed her competition, a local school boy, who was rumored to be "not only particularly smart but quite handsome as well.\" Although Gloria\s formal education ended prematurely her love of learning was a lifelong endeavor and one of the many legacies she has passed on to her children and grandchildren.
While working at the Bata Shoe Company in London England, Gloria's life would take a significant turn, as it was there that she would investigate and later join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Speaking of her conversion to the Faith, which would lay the foundation for the rest of her life, Gloria would often become emotional and express gratitude for the tremendous blessing of finding the simple eternal truths of the Gospel for which she had long been searching. Gloria never wavered in her commitment to truth and raised her family \"Firm in The Faith.\" Gloria\s conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ brought her great comfort and strength and would eventually be the catalyst for her move back to The United States and her marriage to her Eternal Companion in the Salt Lake City Temple on June 22, 1959. Gloria\s quiet conviction and rock-solid faith in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel would shape her beautiful life of integrity and service.
Although involved in many callings withinthe church, including leading the woman's organization of her congregation at age 78, Gloria\s deepest passion was Family History and Temple Work. This sacred work not only symbolized her connection to her ancestors but also embodied the great love she enjoyed in her relationships with her husband, children and grandchildren. Indeed, Gloria\s greatest joy was seeing her loved ones lead healthy, happy lives full of service and love. Gloria served as a missionary in the family history department for many years and although she would leave this mission assignment, as well as her calling as an Ordinance Worker in the Bountiful Utah temple, she continued to do indexing on a daily basis and was known for her keen ability to decipher even the most difficult records in French, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and various other languages. Although this was indeed a remarkable skill, Gloria always insisted that she was blessed with \"inspiration to match her perspiration\" when doing this work for the Lord. Her last recorded journal entry before her passing noted that \"something had changed"and it appeared that she would no longer be able to \"work on the French and Latin records." Gloria noted that she\" would reallymiss this a lot.\"
Although the preceding is only a brief snapshot of this remarkable woman\s life, it would be appropriate to conclude with the wise and simply profound words she wrote and presented to her children and grandchildren on one of the special occasions when we gathered as a family to celebrate her birthday. \"Be slow to take offense and quick to forgive. Treat everyone with kindness. And remember Jesus Loves You.\"
Gloria met each day with Courage, Dignity, Grace, Compassion and Good Cheer. Although she will be missed deeply the legacy of Faith, Hope, Charity and Love she leaves behind is a priceless gift befitting the Nobel Character of this Angel who walked among us.
As we bid farewell to our beloved mother and grandmother we say, \"Yes Dearest Granny when we remember Jesus and His love for us we will also remember you. Thank you. We love you!
Gloria is survived by her son Paul Fletcher Atwood, her daughter Shauna Atwood Compton (Mitchell) and her grandchildren Krystal Atwood (Maya), Paul M. Atwood, Cheylynn Knapp (Miles), Elysia O\Connor (Levi), K. Craig Broderick, Taryn Broderick and Stephen Broderick.
There will be a celebration honoring Gloria\s life on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 11am at the Bountiful Stonecreek Ward, 1476 N. 300 W, Bountiful. Visitations will be held on Friday, Dec. 15 from 6-8pm at Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350E. 1300 S., SLC and on Saturday from 9:30-10:30am prior to the service. An extended obituary will be available soon, please check back.
