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Alvina Gilmore Obituary
She was born in New London, June 28, 1914, the daughter of Arthur and Almeada Touchette Glynn.
She married Arthur J. Gilmore Sr. in St. Joseph Church on Dec. 26, 1936. He died Aug. 1, 1974.
Mrs. Gilmore was retired, after being employed as a private housekeeper. She was a communicant of St. Joseph Church in New London.
She is survived by her son, Arthur J. Gilmore Jr. and his wife, Carol; six grandchildren, Lisa Gilmore of Waterford, Laura Gross, Ann Kelly, Diane Swan, and David Gilmore, all of Niantic, and Cathy Gilmore of Griswold; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her former daughter-in-law, Marie Gilmore-Conley of Niantic.
She was predeceased by six brothers, William Strickland, Charles Glynn, John R. Glynn, Fred L. Glynn, Thomas J. Glynn Sr., and Leslie S. Glynn; two sisters, Anna Glynn Smith and Harriet Glynn Baier.
The funeral will assemble at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Ocean Ave., New London, and proceed to a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Joseph Church at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in St. Mary Cemetery.
Flowers are acceptable or a contribution may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com for directions or to send a condolence message to the family.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Alvina Gilmore
Sponsored by Her Son.
Letter to Mom from Smitty
Frank Smith
April 6, 2020
Frank Smith
April 6, 2020
Devoted Great Grand Daughter
Kristen Gross
May 16, 2010
Eulogy Given August 30, 2005 to Nana the day of her funeral
Devoted Grandaughter
Ann Kelly
May 16, 2010
Eulogy Given August 30, 2005 to Nana the day of her funeral
Your Devoted Granddaughter
Laura Gross
May 16, 2010
Eulogy Given August 30, 2005 to Nana the day of her funeral.
Lisa Gilmore
December 29, 2006
Eulogy Given August 30, 2005 to Nana the day of her Funeral.
"But for right now, we have three things to do: trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."
Alvina Gilmore. Now that lady, and I do mean lady in the most proper sense of the word, was all about love. And fudge, apple pies, and ice cream sundaes from Michael's Dairy, but mostly about love.
As everyone who knew her could tell, Alvina loved God, Jesus and the Blessed Mother. I say this first because Alvina put God first. She was proud to be a Roman Catholic, and her faith inspired her to live such an exemplary life. She kept up her close relationship with God, Jesus and the Blessed Mother by walking to mass here every Sunday when she lived on Willetts Avenue. When she lived in Avery Heights she invited Father Larry and other priests to her apartment to say mass and give her communion, and when she couldn't be physically present at mass, she would watch it on TV. Every day she prayed, mostly on behalf of others, and if there was a special need she would make a novena. Her bookshelf was filled with titles like "Images of Christ," "Favorite Bible Stories," and "Who Needs God?" She looked forward to receiving her Catholic Digest magazine every month, and read it cover to cover. When she was finished with it she would pass it along so someone else could enjoy it. She never had an easy life, but her faith kept her strong. She deeply believed the words of the apostle Paul when he said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Alvina loved her mother and father and her brothers Bill, Charlie, Jack, Fred, Thom and Les, and her sisters Anna and Harriet. Then she fell in love with Art, and later their son, Arthur Jr. Her son was truly the apple of her eye. And she was shamelessly proud of and unswervingly devoted to him. Alvina and Art Jr. share a special bond, and they would always say to each other, "I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.
"Alvina met her best and lifelong friend, Bertha Glynn, when she was just 13 years old, and that friendship lasted for 78 years, 68 of which they lived together in the same house or apartment building. They raised their children together. Tom, George, Frank, Mike, Jim, Carol and Art were a real tribe of "little devils" as their mothers sometimes called them. And just yesterday when Art went to the nursing home to tell Bertha of Alvina's passing, a nurse there asked Bertha if Art was her son. She looked right at the nurse and said confidently, "Yes, he is." Then Bertha looked up and said, "You hear that Vine, he's my son now."
Alvina loved to play bingo at the synagogue on Ocean Avenue or at the Chesterfield fire house. She played bingo several times a week with Bertha and her niece Dottie Glynn, and she always played "partners" by splitting the cost of the tickets as well as any wins with her partners. I guess she thought it was more fun to win 50 cents twice than a dollar once.
She liked to play cards, especially upstairs at Tom and Bertha's with Les, Mae and her goddaughter Nancy. There was the game with the felt cloth and the kitty in the middle that nobody can quite seem to remember the name of, and she also liked pokino and pinochle. She liked to visit her nieces Shirley and Barbara at their houses in East Lyme, and was a second grandmother to their children. She even put up with all the noise from the drums and the kids screaming in the pool without complaining.
Alvina loved the beauty of God that she saw in nature. Lilies of the valley, lilacs and roses edged her yard on Willetts Avenue. Squirrels and even the lowly house mouse had her affection. She had a green thumb and had plants growing in every room of her house. She was good at propagating them from cuttings, and was happy to share her plants with her family and friends.
She didn't have a lot of money, but she was good with it. She kept her checkbook balanced to the penny, and that was before the days of Quicken. Her wisdom belied the fact that she had only a grammar school education.
She was a magnificent seamstress, having been taught to sew by her sister, Harriet. She used to sew all of her own clothes and entire wardrobes of matching outfits for her grandchildren. But if she was ever stumped by a pattern or fabric, she called in Harriet, who could solve any sewing problem.
She worked for many years as a housekeeper for the McGuire family of New London, and she became close friends with her boss, Helen McGuire. She loved the McGuire children, especially Jim, as if they were her own, and they loved her the same way. Helen, Jim, and Jim's wife Ellen have continued stay in touch with "Apple Pie Alvina," as they sometimes called her, and their mutual love and affection for each other is obvious.
She was a huge devotee of Miraculous Medals and always made sure that she had a medal safety-pinned to some part of every outfit she wore, including her nightgowns.
She loved taking the bus to Ocean Beach and playing skee ball and mini golf with her nieces, nephews and grandchildren, and she always evenly divided any prize tickets she earned between the children she was with. Of course, any trip down Montauk or Ocean Avenues had to end with a stop at Michael's Dairy. If she wasn't in the mood for a hot fudge sundae, she'd get a cup of watermelon sherbet. And lots of times, to the delight of her grandchildren, she would bring back some ice cream or sherbet from Michael's Dairy and put it in her ice box, as she called her refrigerator, so we could have a treat the next day.
Alvina was all about love, that’s for sure. Even during the later years of her life when she was getting forgetful, she still treated everyone who came in contact with her kindness and she was a favorite of the staff at Nutmeg where she lived. And on the last day of her earthly life she chose to spend her last hours alone with the love of her life, her son, Art as she passed into heaven with Art by her side.
And I’d like to end up with the words to a popular song that really sums up Alvina’s life. Your once, twice, three times a lady and we love you.
Devoted Granddaughter
Lisa Gilmore
December 29, 2006
This was read August 30, 2005
This is a translation of the bible called the message:
A reading from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the members of the church in Corinth:
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love is patient. Love is kind.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day, praying in tongues will end, understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!
We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us.
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
your devoted granddaughter
Diane Swan
September 28, 2005
Tribute Given August 30, 2005 to Nana the day of her Funeral.
Who was Alvina Strickland Glynn Gilmore? Alvina was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, sister-in-law, aunt, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother.
She truly adored her son Arthur. He brought so much joy to her life. I know that she was concerned that he was an only child. Although my father tried to reassure her that he was fine with it she was never really convinced. Finally, after one of her many talks on this subject with my husband Rob, who is also an only child, she realized that “only” did not mean lonely. He was lucky to grow up surrounded by his grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. His life was richer because of them.
Each of us here today have our own special memories of my grandmother and today I would like to share some of my fondest memories with you.
To her grandchildren she was “Nana” so full of love and life. We looked forward to visiting her at her house on Willetts Ave. She would greet us on the front stairs with open arms. From that moment on the night was ours. Playing cards, flicking bingo chips, or watching T.V. while eating popcorn from her brown bowls, was an evening of utter bliss. Waking the next morning to the smell of Nana’s hot coco and toast would almost make us skip into the kitchen. When the night or weekend was over she would stand in the kitchen window waving and blowing kisses as we backed down the driveway and rolled out of sight. Even when she moved from Willetts Ave. she continued this “see you later” ritual, for she never liked saying goodbye.
I know I can speak for my sisters and brother when I say that we feel very fortunate to have had her in our lives for so many years. Our time with her was treasured. Trips to Ocean Beach, Michael’s Dairy and of course Beth El Bingo are just a few of the wonderful experiences we have had with her. We learned so much from her because she was such an inspirational individual.
Her passions and talents were evident in what ever she was doing. Whether she was caring for others, praying, cooking, cleaning or playing bingo. These traits, in addition to her compassion made her the remarkable lady she was.
Nana always had a kind word for everyone and instinctively knew how to make someone feel better. During one of my trips with her to the hospital she became very concerned about a patient next to her. The woman was alone and very upset. Nana immediately walked over to the woman, took her hand and told her that everything would be ok. As Nana was reassuring her she began to reach into her bra, all I could think of is what on earth is she doing, she doesn’t keep tissues in there, they’re up her sleeve. To my surprise Nana had unpinned a miraculous medal from her bra and gave it to the woman. Instantly, the woman calmed down and thanked my grandmother. This was one of the many times I witnessed Nana’s random acts of kindness. She possessed an intuitive nature of always knowing exactly what to do or say in so many situations. Whether it was sharing a medal, a kind word or a warm touch to go with her even warmer smile people responded to her.
So again I ask you, who was Alvina Stickland Glynn Gilmore? Alvina was many things to each of us but one thing is for sure, she has touched us all in some way and she will forever be in our hearts.
Nana we love you and we’ll see you later! Many hugs, kisses and all that mush!
Devoted Granddaughter,
Arthur Gilmore Jr
September 11, 2005
On this Day in 1909 my father was born.
I would like to pay tribute to him and my mom this day with the following:
The Footpath to Peace
To be glad of life because it gives us the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with our possessions, but not contented with ourselves until we have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by our admirations rather than by our disgusts; to covet nothing that is our neighbor’s except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of our enemies, often of our friends and everyday Christ; and to spend as much time as we can, with body and with Spirit, in God’s out-of-doors- These are the little guideposts on our Footpath to Peace.
These were the words from my Dad to my Mother August 26, 1933 (72 Years ago) the day of their Engagement.
Mom (Nana) followed these guideposts to the Footpaths of Peace during her life.
She is finally at peace now in the hands of God.
The gift we could all give her would be to try to become a close family again and share our closeness and strengths with all our friends.
Love You Mom, a Bushel and a Peck and a Hug around the Neck.
Love you too Dad!
Moved into our new home Aug 1st which happened to be the day of his passing 31 years ago.
Your favorite son,
Lori, Rich, Tyler Piascik
August 29, 2005
Lisa, Jeff, Ben & extended family,
May precious memories be with you during your time of sorrow. We're thinking of you.
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