Gloria Nellis

Gloria (Thilgen) Nellis Gloria was born on October 31, 1931 in Pittsburg, California, the daughter of Adelchi and Nellie Mazzarola. She passed into her new life on September 19, 2010. Obvious to all, she was born to give the great love and caring that she so generously gave to her family, friends, and many others. The world is so much smaller and very much less loving without her. Gloria is survived by the greatest recipients of her life -- her husband David Nellis, her sister El Benetti (John) of Grass Valley, and her children Therese Gardner (Gary) of San Jose, Maria Hildebrand (John) of Sausalito, and Jeff Thilgen (Kathy) of Boise, Idaho; and step-children Paul Nellis (Joanie) of Gilroy, Evelyn Peirson (Nate) of San Diego; and daughters-in-law Colleen Thilgen of Oakland and Debbie Nellis of Rancho Murieta. She is predeceased by her son Richard Thilgen and step-son Kenneth Nellis. She loved and adored her grandchildren -- J.R. Hildebrand, Tim and Michael Gardner, Luke Thilgen; and Mia, Jack, and Will Thilgen; and her step-grandchildren: Andrea Pavlick, Valerie Pennino, Christopher Nellis, Taran and Brenna Peirson; and Andrew and Peyton Nellis; and nine great grandchildren. Gloria grew up Pittsburg, California and graduated Pittsburg Senior High School with the class of 1948. She was later married to Donald Thilgen (deceased). She graduated from Armstrong College, and over the years worked as a surgical technician at Letterman Army Hospital, UCSF Medical Center, and retired in 1992 from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in South San Francisco where she served as operating room materials manager. She and her husband Dave shared deep love, and thoroughly enjoyed life together - family, friends, travel, and a common faith in Christ. Gloria was a faithful member of St. Brendan Roman Catholic Church in San Francisco, and served there as a Eucharistic minister and lector. Her funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 25 at St. Brendan parish church, 29 Rockaway Avenue (off Portola) in San Francisco. Viewing will be 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., before the mass. For those intending to send flowers, Gloria's family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made, in Gloria's name, to St. Anthony Foundation [dining room] at 150 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102.