Gloria Mae Elkins Troutt

Gloria Mae Elkins Troutt

Gloria Mae Elkins Troutt passed away on November 14, 2020, age 84, surrounded by family, at her beloved Troutt Ranch in Tularosa, NM, after a long and heart-rending struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

Gloria Mae Elkins was born in East St. Louis, IL on March 26, 1936, the youngest of seven children born to Ross and Helen (Bridges) Elkins. Her family moved to a farm in Mt. Vernon, IL when she was twelve. She attended Mt. Vernon Township High School, and it was there, at 14, that she met the love of her life, Paul William Troutt. After she graduated, they were married in June 1954; he was 19, she was 18. Paul passed away in October 2017, after 63 years of marriage to Gloria.

Gloria was a pioneer in many respects. First, in the 1960's when legal secretaries—all women—worked for one law firm and were at the firm's beck and call, Gloria decided that she would embark on a new career path as a free-lance legal secretary. It did not take long for her to be in high demand, and she worked when, and for whom, she wanted. When Paul, Gloria and their two sons, Jeffery and Christopher, moved to El Paso in 1973, Gloria changed careers and became a real estate agent, working initially for Wagner and Company. At Wagner, she was known as the "Million Dollar Baby" because she sold more than $1 million worth of homes in one year. Back then, the median sales price for a home was less than $35,000. After a few years there, Gloria started her own real estate agency, Gloria Troutt & Associates, and worked as a REALTOR and broker until her retirement in 2009. One of the perks of being Gloria's client was, no matter what your price range, she would show you around El Paso in a chauffeur-driven limousine.

Gloria was elected President of the Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS in 1994, and was chosen as REALTOR of the Year in 1995.

In the late 1990's, Paul and Gloria moved to their "sweet little nest somewhere in the west" from which they "let the rest of the world go by." Their new home in Tularosa, NM, was named "Troutt Ranch" but, to family and close friends, it was always known as "BigassRanch." They both lived there happily the remainder of their lives.

Gloria found her greatest joy in her family and she served as a role model of love and devotion for her children and grandchildren to follow. Gloria was predeceased by her husband, Paul William Troutt, and is survived by her sister, Geraldine Rule, two sons, Jeffery Troutt (Helen), and Christopher Troutt (Mary Beth), five grandchildren, Brittany Riddle (Diallo), Ashley Troutt, ReBecca Richey (Naashukwa), Hannah Troutt, and Samuel Troutt, and six great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Mom/Granny/Gloria's life will be held at Troutt Ranch on November 28, 2020. Contact the family for more information.

Anyone wishing to honor Gloria can do so by making a donation in her name to an organization dedicated to ending the scourge that is Alzheimer's.