Mrs. Gloria Joyce Vassion, age 83 of Bemidji, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday morning September 7, 2022.
She was born on January 1, 1939 in Long Beach California to Bart and Marie Chickering.
As toddlers, Gloria and her brother Bart were asked to be a part of the cast for the movie Swiss Robinson Family; however, her parents decided against it. Gloria grew up listening to Big Band Music which her father played in. She loved to go camping at Big Bear, and to go skiing at Shasta Lake in Redding California. Her family moved up to Happy Valley, CA on a farm and this is where her love for animals began. She would always talk about her cow named Ballie. Her favorite activity in high school was roller skating. She would go every weekend with her brother Bart. During high school she worked at the Cascade movie theatre and graduated from Anderson High School in 1957.
Gloria met her Husband Chris after high school who was from Redding, California. Gloria and Chris married on June 9, 1962 at the First Nazarene Church in Salina Kansas. Chris was stationed at Schilling Air Force Base and they decided to make Salina their home. Gloria and Chris have three children, Pam, Todd, and Timothy. She worked at Elmore center and then took a job at Westinghouse, which then became Philips Lighting, and retired after 38 years of service. She made lifetime friends at Philips Lighting and took pride in her job.
Gloria enjoyed traveling and one of her favorite places was Estes Park, Colorado. This became a frequent family destination as she would take her family there often, and would listen to the Grease Soundtrack the whole way there. Gloria also enjoyed going on cruises with her husband Chris, the Cayman Islands were one of their favorites.
Gloria loved spending time with her grandchildren, which included watching them play sports, roller skating, or hanging out and eating cheesecake. She was always involved in their lives and traveled to watch them play their respective college sports.
Gloria loved animals throughout her life, as she had many dogs, cats and birds. She enjoyed planting flowers and working in her pond, where she had turtles and fish.
Gloria will truly be missed and was so very much loved by her family.
Gloria is survived by her husband Chris of 62 years, daughter Pamela Bellew, son-in-law Timothy Bellew, son Todd Vassion, daughter-in-law Jasmine Vassion, son Timothy Vassion, brother Bart Chickering, Sister-in-law Lora Chickering, and four grandchildren; Mason, Claudia, Alex, Chris.
Memorial Service to be held in Salina, Kansas at Emmanuel Foursquare Church on November 26, 2022, at 1:00pm.
Condolences may be left at ceasefuneralhome.com.