Gloria Jean Sewright was born July 7, 1950, at Cedar Valley Hospital in Charles City, Iowa. It was a normal birth with no apparent problems. At 9 months Gloria developed a fever of 104 degrees for five days and was hospitalized at that time. She walked at 14 months but was not yet talking at three years of age. She was taken to Crippled Children’s when she was three and began speaking after that. She spent her youth on a farm outside Orchard, Iowa.

Gloria lived at home until September 1971 when she graduated from the special ed. program at Osage High School. She then went to various homes with brief returns to her home in Osage. She spent a few months at Woodward Hospital. While there, Gloria worked in the laundry and typed in the office. Upon leaving Woodward Hospital, she moved into a Dutch community and attended vocational school in Sheldon, Iowa where Gloria graduated with a degree in janitorial services. Gloria moved to Cedar Valley Residence in Austin in September of 1975. She began working at Cedar Valley Services in April of 1976. In October 1991, Gloria moved into an adult group home in Austin with three other women. This was something that Gloria had wanted for a number of years. In 2023, she retired from Cedar Valley Services.

Faith was important to Gloria since becoming a Christian in her early days. As she grew older a great comfort to her was the Christian music of the Gaithers and Lawrence Welk. She always loved cats and dogs and loved to talk and laugh with them. Gloria was always sure she had the most current news on the nephews and nieces and grandnephews and grandnieces. She loved the staff that cared for her and her roommates and was always interested in talking about their lives. She was especially fond of going out for Chinese with her family.

Gloria had a brief hospitalization for pneumonia in October of 2023 after which she moved to a second group home in Austin that could provide the necessary physical care. She remained there till her passing on July 2, 2024, just five days shy of her 74th birthday.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Berdene (Williams) in 2001; her father, Sterling Sewright in 2006; grandparents, Trulie (Erbe) and Leon Sewright, and Golda (Nelson) and Arthur Williams.

She is survived by her three siblings: Lowell (Annette) Sewright of Mitchell, South Dakota, Janan (Jon) Skillingstad of Faribault, Minnesota, and Kent Sewright of Des Moines, Iowa; eight nephews and nieces: Jaya, Arianna, Paige (Lowell & Annette); Hannes, Ansty, Brinna, Joren (Jon & Janan); Amy, Kyle (Kent); and 14 grandnephews and grandnieces.

Gloria’s favorite question was, “I’m nice to you, aren’t I?” All our answers are, a most certain, “Yes,” you’re nice to me.”

Blessed be the memory of Gloria Jean Sewright.

A celebration of life will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home Chapel in Austin. Interment will be in Osage City Cemetery, Osage, Iowa. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes are assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.