Gloria Gilmer, 90, of Minnetonka, died peacefully on June 14, 2026 at the Glenn. 

She was born Feb. 19, 1936 in Toronto, Canada. When she was 7 years old, she and her parents and two sisters, Stella and Ruth, moved to New York City. Gloria met her husband John at a shoe store when she lived in the city and they had four children, Victoria, Gregory, Marcienne and Barbara (Breitbach). 

Throughout her life, Gloria was a fierce defender of women’s rights and wanted women to be seen and heard. This commitment to equality extended to everyone, and speaks to her generous spirit. She never wavered in her belief that every person deserved to be treated with respect and no one should be denied the opportunity to live their best possible life. 

Gloria was kind and thoughtful, quick to laugh and led her life with patience, grace and dignity, whether she was navigating adversity or celebrating those she cherished. She was her children’s, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s biggest cheerleader. 

She loved music. Some of her favorite moments were dancing and singing along to Neil Diamond, meeting Tony Bennett (they attended the same elementary school in NYC) and meeting Johnny Cash and his wife June. She loved the arts and encouraged us to sing, dance, draw, and write. 

She taught us all how to appreciate the small things in life, like soaking up the sun after a cold winter or sitting in silence and watching the sun set. 

Gloria was the ultimate bargain hunter, taking her granddaughter Alyssa and daughter Marcienne on treasure hunts through vintage stores and garage sales. She was always quick to remind us that we should never pay full retail price. And every Sunday during the football season, you could find her in her team jersey rooting on her favorite team, the Vikings.

She was famous for her homemade potato pancakes, French toast and elephant ears, and her children were always delighted when she made their favorite “hobo sandwiches.” 

Gloria’s professional career spanned from working at Munsingwear and GM to Northwest Airlines and Delta Dental. 

Gloria is preceded in death by her husband John and sister Stella. She is survived by her four children, three grandchildren, Alyssa (Katane), Katie (Breitbach), Peter (Breitbach), four great-grandchildren, Matthew, Vivienne, Westley and Ivan (Katane), and her sister Ruth. 

Services will be held at St. George Catholic Church in Long Lake Monday, June 22. Visitation will be at the church at 10 a.m., with mass immediately following. Internment will follow at Howard Lake Cemetery in Howard Lake. 

 

A poem written by Alyssa, Gloria’s beloved granddaughter

 

Bleeding Heart

 

The heart bleeds what it holds

 

Your hand

Your smile

Your grace

 

The space between then and now

 

The way your eyes reflect mine

The way your hair turned

From gold to silver

 

There is silence now

 

Within it

A longing for laughter

A longing to hear your voice once more

To see the corners of your lips

Lift into a smile

 

Your talkative nature

Always questioning

Always knowing

 

Your prayers

All those years

 

Your prayers now

 

If I could do anything

I would go back

 

Through the door

Down the hall

Past the sidewalk where

Bleeding hearts hung

 

Half sun

Half shade

 

Climb back into bed

Where you taught me to pray

 

Recounting the names

Of everyone I knew and loved

 

You most of all

 

And fall gently asleep

To your voice

Your stories

Your warmth

 

Then wake to the smell

Of French toast

And coffee

 

And spend the day

Sailing garages

For treasures

And adventures at the park

 

And be little

 

For just a little while longer