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Gloria White Obituary
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Gloria was born February 12, 1969 in Michigan City, Indiana to Alma Jean (Callahan) Ferrell and Willie Ray Shannon. She grew up in New Buffalo, Michigan where she attended New Buffalo High School, graduating in 1987. Following her lifelong passion for teaching, she received her B.A. in Education and M.A. in Early Learning Education from Western Michigan University.
She devoted her life to teaching, it was her whole world. She cared so deeply about all of her kids, both biological and not. At the time of her passing she was working as the elementary school art teacher at Dowagiac Schools. She adorned her classrooms with quotes and images of Bob Ross, Banksy, and Yayoi Kusama amongst others, though her truest favorites were always Dale Chihuly's glass chandeliers. Everywhere she went she brought curiosity, excitement, and an open-mindedness to her students and everyone in her life.
Gloria's ability to connect with her students was a rare gift. Even beyond the school classroom she contributed much to the art community by teaching a youth camp called "Chihuly Champions" at Krasl Art Center. Additionally, she pursued her personal love of glassworks by attending classes at Water Street Glassworks every season. She filled her home with every expression of art, from vibrant glass bowls to the many gifted works from students which adorned her fridge and walls.
She loved to walk on the beach looking for "God Winks" (beach glass). The blue ones were her favorite. She had jars and jars of beach glass. Anytime we walked together along the lake and she found a piece of blue glass she would smile and say that God had sent her this little piece of happiness, just a wink.
We ache as we try to learn how to live with this tragic loss. We miss her very much.
Gloria's daughter has launched a GoFundMe to help support her as the sole legal heir managing the costs of funerary, memorial, and legal preparations.
You may find this fund and donate at: https://gofund.me/3800a958
Please help this family who is in terrible need after her loss.
Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.heritage-chapel.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
Maria velasco
December 5, 2024
Gloria white was my art teacher I'm maria and she would always cheer me up when I was down I never saw her mad or sad she even felt bad when she had a pumpkin and it was starting to rot so she had to cut it up and throw it in the woods behind our school the worst part that she felt bad about was the fact that the pumpkin had been growing pumpkins inside of it I miss her smile and how she was always in a good mood no matter what.
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