Gloria Jean Church

Gloria Jean Church was born on August 28, 1955, in Marion, Alabama to the late Bernice Thomas-Alvis and Earl Church Sr. Gloria Jean departed this life on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. She attended Elmhurst High School before moving to Cleveland, Ohio where she lived for many years.  Gloria Jean worked as a caterer, which fulfilled her love of cooking and serving people within the community.  She loved to make people feel welcomed and she was always the life of the party.  Gloria Jean loved to laugh, dance, sing, and spend time with family. Gloria Jean had a very loving relationship with her children.  Her love was evident in the way that she cared and interacted with them on a daily basis.  When you saw Gloria Jean, one of her kids was not far behind.

Gloria Jean was the truth!  She meant what she said when she spoke to people and said what she meant without hesitation!  Gloria Jean stood on her word and she truly embodied what transparency looked like. You did not have to wonder what she was thinking because she would let you know.  She would let you know in love, as she was also a peaceful person who most would consider as high-spirited and comedic in nature.  Anyone who spent time with her never left her presence without experiencing a good laugh.  Gloria Jean loved to love and she loved to laugh.  Her heart was always warm as you could always feel it when she walked through the door.

The unbreakable bond Gloria Jean had with her siblings was very special as well.  Her bother, Earl (Nut) Church, Jr., and sisters, Yvonne Ford, Michelle Thomas, and Veronica Thomas developed a cohesive relationship that was so tight…nobody could pull them apart.  They always stuck together despite any distance between them within the city or from city to city.  Especially the relationship she had with Nut. You would often see Gloria Jean and Nut laughing and joking with each other as if they had not seen each other the day before.  When those two got together…they made it a point to have a good time!  It was Gloria Jean’s mission to keep her relationship with her siblings alive no matter what!   

Gloria Jean leaves to cherish her memories, one daughter, Lora Church, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, two sons, Freddy Church, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Christopher Anderson, of Cleveland, Ohio.  Four sisters, Yvonne Ford, of Cleveland, Ohio, Michelle Thomas and Veronica Thomas, both of Marion, Alabama, and Lisa Lapsley-Quarles, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Two brothers, Earl (Nut) Church, Jr., and Earl Hatch, both of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a brother-in-law, Grady Anderson, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Six aunts, Louella Burrough, Artelia Jackson, Dorothy Thomas, Judy Thomas, Dorothy King, all of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Margie Fowlkes and Lena England, of Alabama.

Special nieces, Dr. Cozette Church Gaston (Damien), of Houston, Texas, Tawanda Church, and Andrenette Lee Montgomery, both of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Special nephews, Earl Marshall, of Dayton, Ohio, and Javarcus Chaney, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

Special cousins: Dr. Tina Lee-McKinley, Dorothy Carter, Dr. Gloria Carswell, Mattie Carter, Theresa Carter, Shirley Craig, Thelma Church, Latrice Craig-Johnson, Michelle Lee, Kenyatta Carter, Eugene Carter, and Eugene Church. 

Twelve grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews also cherish her memory along with two special friends, Shalon Boykin and Marlon Mosely.

Gloria Jean was preceded in death by her mother, Bernice Thomas-Alvis, father, Earl Church, Sr., grandmother, Laura Church, grandfather, Johnnie Church, sister, Ernestine Lymon, brother, Michael Thomas, nephew, Torrossel (Church) Tatum, aunts, Etta Carter, Rosetta Woods, Annie Atkins, Joyce Wright, and Gladys Thomas, uncles, Wallace Martin, Eugene Church Sr., Robert Church, Cleave Thomas, and James Thomas.

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