Obituary for Gloria Ethel Mathieson (Lambert)
Ian calls her his Wife and Love for the past 57 years. Sandy and Janet call her Mom, Mama, Mamacita and Mother, as do Victor, Mike & Alain. Jenn, Lauren, Katie, Avery & Dante call her Grammy and everyone who knows her calls her their friend. She was the best sister to Bob and Heidi, as well as many women who spent their lives with her. It is with complete and overwhelming sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Gloria Mathieson (Lambert) from undiagnosed cancer.
It is not often that you meet such an extraordinary woman with the strength of 10 and the silent will of 20. She was born in 1941 in Edmonton, Alberta with limited sight. Her dad, knowing that she needed an education, put her on a train at the age of 5 where she would attend the school for the blind in Brantford, Ontario until she graduated high school. As a young woman, taking a business course in Toronto, she met the love of her life. After 3 dates and a year of letter writing when she returned to Alberta, Ian drove out West and proposed. They have spent the rest of their lives raising a family and loving each other. Up until her very last day she spoke of how her life was perfect because it was spent with Ian and the family they had together.
Gloria was not interested in material things. She said maybe if she could see it would be different, but everyone who knows her knows that probably isn’t true. She was happiest when surrounded by her family and loved her phone so she could talk and text to her heart’s content with all the people in her life. She always carried herself with a quiet grace that you just couldn’t miss when in her presence.
The hole that she is leaving in the hearts of so many by her passing will not be filled, but we know she would say, in time, the hole will get a little smaller. For all the sadness that is felt by losing her so suddenly, consider yourself lucky for having such a remarkable woman in your life.
Goodbye Glorie, Mom, Grammy and friend. You are surrounded by people who love you!
Her immediate family were graced with time to say goodbye but we will all celebrate together her life this summer when the sun is shining and the birds are singing.
It is not often that you meet such an extraordinary woman with the strength of 10 and the silent will of 20. She was born in 1941 in Edmonton, Alberta with limited sight. Her dad, knowing that she needed an education, put her on a train at the age of 5 where she would attend the school for the blind in Brantford, Ontario until she graduated high school. As a young woman, taking a business course in Toronto, she met the love of her life. After 3 dates and a year of letter writing when she returned to Alberta, Ian drove out West and proposed. They have spent the rest of their lives raising a family and loving each other. Up until her very last day she spoke of how her life was perfect because it was spent with Ian and the family they had together.
Gloria was not interested in material things. She said maybe if she could see it would be different, but everyone who knows her knows that probably isn’t true. She was happiest when surrounded by her family and loved her phone so she could talk and text to her heart’s content with all the people in her life. She always carried herself with a quiet grace that you just couldn’t miss when in her presence.
The hole that she is leaving in the hearts of so many by her passing will not be filled, but we know she would say, in time, the hole will get a little smaller. For all the sadness that is felt by losing her so suddenly, consider yourself lucky for having such a remarkable woman in your life.
Goodbye Glorie, Mom, Grammy and friend. You are surrounded by people who love you!
Her immediate family were graced with time to say goodbye but we will all celebrate together her life this summer when the sun is shining and the birds are singing.