Gloria Jean Stockdale

Gloria Jean Stockdale Gloria Jean Stockdale, loving Mother, Nana, Daughter, Sister, and Aunt, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Gloria was born on April 21, 1947 in Louisville, KY. The 4th of five siblings, Gloria grew up in Louisville and went on to graduate from Central High School. From there, her adventurous spirit took her to Detroit, where she worked for Ford Motor Company, then to Washington, D.C. where she worked for Geico Insurance Company in Chevy Chase, MD. Gloria returned to Louisville and worked for the Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) as one of the first Black customer service employees hired by the company. There she met the love of her life, Prentice Goodwin, when he came into LG&E one day in 1977 during his Armored Car route to pick up the LG&E bank deposits. It was love at first sight for both of them and they very much enjoyed spending time together. They shared a love of warm weather vacations together to Key West and California, and made each other laugh whenever possible. In 1980, they welcomed their daughter, Alisa, and they were bound forever by their adoration of their beautiful baby girl. Gloria continued to work at LG&E, however after the passing of her dear older brother, Marvin, she and Alisa moved to Sacramento, CA to be closer to family. Although they were no longer a short drive apart, Gloria and Prentice remained close, and she continued to raise Alisa as a single mother. Gloria flourished in Sacramento and joined the Golden One Credit Union in 1990, where she worked as a Loan Processor for over 20 years until she retired in 2011. During this time, Gloria continued to be a devoted mother, demonstrating her unparalleled work ethic for Alisa, as she often held multiple jobs in order to support herself and her daughter. Gloria loved her daughter more than anything. She was a lioness when it came to her child: fiercely protective and always ready with a teachable moment from her own experiences so that Alisa might stand on her shoulders and be successful. Gloria was never able to go to college and she wanted Alisa to have access to all the opportunities that were obstructed for her. Gloria was so very proud when her daughter's scholarships supported her matriculation from The George Washington University in D.C., the M.S.W. program at UC Berkeley, and ultimately a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She would tell anyone who would listen just how proud she was of her daughter, and all who knew her saw how much she glowed whenever she spoke of Alisa. In retirement, Gloria turned her attention to her grandchildren, Bianca (born in 2012) and Dominic (born in 2015), whom she lovingly called her Little Crumb-Snatchers. She loved Bianca and Dominic deeply, and she was over the moon when during a visit with her grandchildren in 2016, Dominic took his first steps directly into her arms. Gloria will be missed in ways that those of you reading this will never know. Her sharp sense of humor, gifted storytelling ability, and commitment to always tell it like it is; her laughter that exploded like rainbow confetti that drew you in and made you laugh along with her; her steadfast belief in charitable giving, even when she didn't have enough for herself; the effervescence in her voice when she'd sing some of her favorite Christmas songs ("Gee Whiz, It's Christmas" and "This Christmas"); her ability to rehabilitate any rose bush and to grow the most delicious lemons, tomatoes, and nectarines California soil has ever known; her potato salad, made with only the best ingredients and a whole lot of love. She once flew to see her daughter and son-in-law, Matthew, and knowing how much he loved her potato salad, she made a batch and put it on ice in a cooler, so she could step off the plane and hand it to him right away, relishing the smile on his face as he gobbled it right up. There will never be another soul like hers. Gloria gave the warmest hugs, and it was in her warm embrace that Alisa found herself when Gloria peacefully transitioned on from this earthly plane. She will be deeply missed by her daughter, Alisa (Matthew), her grandchildren, Bianca and Dominic, her niece Myrlys, and countless family members and friends. Gloria is predeceased by her parents, Earline and Harmon, her brother, Marvin, and the love of her life, Prentice. A celebration of Gloria's life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made in Gloria's name to The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://support.si.edu/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app358b?idb=0&df_id=17301&mfc_pref=T&17301.donation=form1&s_src=H0000PWHONMEM&s_subsrc=H0000PWHONMEM&NONCE_TOKEN=75057841643A738FF692B6B5E7FCDF8C

Gloria Jean Stockdale

April 21, 1947 - January 26, 2022