Gloria M. Langdon

My mom used to read the obituaries in the paper every day. She absolutely hated the long, flowery ones that told every detail of the person’s life and went on and on about how wonderful they were. She’d say “isn’t it funny how everyone becomes The Most Amazing Person after they’re gone?” She told me that when her time came, I was to “just put down the facts”. So, she was born in Erie, Pa on May 26th, 1922 and she died in Columbus, Ohio, with my dad holding her hand, on May 25th, 2020. The day before her 98th birthday. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Bill, her son, Billy, daughter-in-law, Diane, daughter Jeanne and grandchildren Trey, Mackenzie, Alex, Aaron, Anabel and great granddaughter, Journey. Many nieces and nephews and her beloved brother, Dr. Michael Santomenna. But… there is so much more and I’m sorry to disobey you Mom, but you truly were amazing and I have to make sure everyone knows. My mom was extraordinary. She really was. She followed her dreams in an era when those dreams were so different than what most other women did. At a time when the women of that generation tended to get married right after high school, my mom went to college. Not only that, but she went to college when she was only 16 years old! After getting her Bachelors, she went on to get her Master’s degree, then after she graduated, she joined the Navy. When she was finally ready to settle down, she met my dad. He was 8 years younger than her, he proposed at a bar called “The Cow Shed” at Conneaut Lake and they were married for 61 years. They adopted Billy when she was 38 and me when she was 40, a solid 15 years older than the average age to have kids at that time. Her and my dad were at every school play and band concert and softball game and dance recital and Scout meeting and our family had dinner together every single night. My mom loved her grandchildren and she loved her friends and she loved watching the Buckeyes. She was a founding member of St. Timothy church and attended Mass there for over 50 years. She was a member of Tri Village La Sertoma and the ACLD and she played in two different Bridge clubs. She retired from OSU Hospital where she was a social worker for many years. I was talking with her priest today about what we do with “the dash”…the time in between a person’s date of birth and the date of their death. My mom lived a huge life, full of love and friendship and laughter and compassion. And yeah, she really, truly was the most amazing person. Due to Covid restrictions, we are hosting a “Drive By” at the Rutherford Funeral Home, 450 West Olentangy Street, Powell, Ohio 43065 from 10:00am to 11:00am on Saturday, May 30th. Our family will be outside the funeral home and we’d love it if you’d come by and see us. If you’re comfortable getting out, please do and if not, you can pull up and talk with us a little from your car (6 feet away). My mom will be will be inside and if you’d like to, a couple people at a time can go in and say goodbye to her. We know this is a strange way to have a viewing, but these are very strange times that require out-of-the-box thinking. We’d love to see you on Saturday.

Gloria M. Langdon

May 26, 1922 - May 25, 2020