Gloria F. Nelson

Gloria Frances Nelson, 95, passed away on February 11, 2020. She had been a resident at Whitehall Manor. Gloria was born in Philadelphia to Rose and Edward Cooperstein. She was predeceased by her husband, Eli, sister Shirley Miller, and son-in-law Jerry Bierhoff . Gloria graduated from West Philadelphia High School. She married Eli prior to his shipping out to serve in the army in Germany during WWII. Upon his return in early 1946, she and Eli started their family. Gloria was a stay-at-home mom. During 2 of those years she volunteered with a social agency caring for newborns until the agency found adoptive parents. Over that time she cared for 13 babies. She later was a secretary at Beth-El Synagogue in West Philadelphia and then Beth Hillel-Beth El in Bala Cynwyd. Gloria was a natural born artist. Earlier in her life she painted with oil paints, but she later found her true artistic passion painting Judaica on porcelain, combining her love of Judaism with her love of art. Painting occupied much of her time once she retired as demand for her unique Judaica artwork grew. She continued to paint until 2005 when she and Eli moved to the Lehigh Valley, PA, to be closer to family. Gloria will be remembered as a devoted wife and mother, intelligent, strong-willed, creative and caring. She and Eli traveled the world together including a mission to the former Soviet Union to aide Jewish residents, refuseniks, who were often denied work and other rights explicitly because they were Jews. Gloria and Eli went to Israel 5 times, first with their children in 1963 and later with each of their 4 grandchildren. They were married for over 70 years until Eli's death in 2014. Survivors: Gloria is survived by 2 children, Richard (Paula) and Maureen; 4 grandchildren, David and Jeffrey (Julie Fritzges) Nelson, Harris (Carmen) Bierhoff and Brooke (Paul) Melanson; 3 great-grandchildren, Julia and Yaakov Bierhoff, Max Melanson. Services: Her funeral will be held at Haym Salomon Memorial Park, Frazer, PA, on Friday, February 14, 2020, at noon. Contributions: Contributions in her memory may be made to the Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley, 2004 W. Allen St., Allentown, PA 18104.