Gloria Jean Halsey, 80, of Sandwich, died May 12, 2012, at Pine Acres Care Center, DeKalb. She was born Oct. 12, 1931 in Aurora, Ill. the daughter of William and Lura (Rees) Heffelfinger. She attended Aurora East High School, graduating in 1949. She played violin, first chair, with the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra for many years. She worked at the Old Second National Bank in Aurora for several years as a teller. She married Bert Halsey on June 9, 1951 in Aurora. As a young married couple, they moved to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Ill where, after serving four years in the Navy, Bert reenlisted for a stint with the Air Force. Gloria became secretary to several officers and was given top civilian clearance in order to take minutes during meetings discussing the Nike missile project. They moved to the Batavia Highlands to start their family and in 1965 to Earlville where they owned and operated Bert’s Meat Processing. They later managed DeKalb County Marketing Services for the Farm Bureau for several years. Gloria then became administrative assistant to the department head in the Gerontology Department at Northern Illinois University for many years.
She greatly enjoyed reading, following current events, politics and popcorn. She was a member of the Jolly 60s Senior Club in Somonauk; the Quilters Guild and the Somonauk Baptist Church. Gloria created many beautiful quilts over the years and presented them as gifts to family and friends. She was extremely dedicated to her family, as they were to her. She and Bert traveled the nation in their RV, and among their greatest adventures was spending several months in Alaska and traveling the Alaskan Highway before it was paved.
She is survived by daughters, Annette Newcomb of Lake Geneva Wis., Carol Halsey of DeKalb; granddaughters, Jennifer Ballard of DeKalb and Amanda Newcomb of Lake Geneva; grandson, Jon Ballard of Somonauk; son-in-law, Larry Ballard of Somonauk; a brother, Bob (Do) Heffelfinger of Tucson, Ariz.; sister-in-law, Myra Halsey; brother-in-laws, Bob (Carol) Halsey, Bill (Pennie) Graham, Tom (Joyce) Graham; and many other friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bert, 1996; a daughter, Cindy, 1994; son-in-law, Mike Bumgarner, 1980; sister-in-law, Mary Lou (Tim) Graham-Reynolds; brother-in-law; Jack Halsey.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the Somonauk Baptist Church, 315 E. North Street Somonauk. Burial will follow at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Aurora. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home, 13160 Route 34 W. Somonauk. Following burial, the family invites friends to partake in a meal at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the family.
She greatly enjoyed reading, following current events, politics and popcorn. She was a member of the Jolly 60s Senior Club in Somonauk; the Quilters Guild and the Somonauk Baptist Church. Gloria created many beautiful quilts over the years and presented them as gifts to family and friends. She was extremely dedicated to her family, as they were to her. She and Bert traveled the nation in their RV, and among their greatest adventures was spending several months in Alaska and traveling the Alaskan Highway before it was paved.
She is survived by daughters, Annette Newcomb of Lake Geneva Wis., Carol Halsey of DeKalb; granddaughters, Jennifer Ballard of DeKalb and Amanda Newcomb of Lake Geneva; grandson, Jon Ballard of Somonauk; son-in-law, Larry Ballard of Somonauk; a brother, Bob (Do) Heffelfinger of Tucson, Ariz.; sister-in-law, Myra Halsey; brother-in-laws, Bob (Carol) Halsey, Bill (Pennie) Graham, Tom (Joyce) Graham; and many other friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bert, 1996; a daughter, Cindy, 1994; son-in-law, Mike Bumgarner, 1980; sister-in-law, Mary Lou (Tim) Graham-Reynolds; brother-in-law; Jack Halsey.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the Somonauk Baptist Church, 315 E. North Street Somonauk. Burial will follow at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Aurora. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home, 13160 Route 34 W. Somonauk. Following burial, the family invites friends to partake in a meal at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the family.
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