Gloria Ellisor
Gloria Ellisor
Age 80
Gloria Ellisor was born in Galveston in 1931. She was an only child. Her mother died when she was 2 years old and she was raised by her mother's cousin, who initially was not married. For a time, the cousin's parents looked after Gloria. After she married, her cousin had 3 children, plus her husband had a daughter, so Gloria became part of a family of 5 children. She feels that she received good care, even though the families were poor, although she always felt she was an outsider. As a result she was compelled to try harder to please everyone and she realized that she missed some of the love she would have had from her biological mother. Her mother's sisters had big families of their own, but helped out a bit. One aunt sewed nice clothes for Gloria. She took piano lessons and became a skilled piano player as a young girl.
After high school, Gloria spent a year in Los Angeles with another cousin. While there she went to school and became involved with a church where her piano skills were much appreciated.
Gloria then went to nursing school at Prairie View College. Her cousin sent her $10 every month to pay for her expenses. After graduating with training in psychiatric nursing, she went back to Galveston to a job at UTMB in the psychiatry department. She met her husband, Jesse, who was from Evergreen, Texas, but was working in Galveston.
Gloria and Jesse had two children, Jesse, Jr. and Jacqueline. Jesse, Jr. graduated from Prairie View A&M and now has 2 sons and one of them, Jesse III, has 5 girls (great-grandchildren). Jacqueline went to Oberlin College in Ohio, then to law school and now practices law in Connecticut. She has 2 daughters.
Gloria worked at UTMB for 4 years, then became a school nurse in the Galveston school system for about 37 years. She started out working in elementary schools, then later at Sam Houston Jr. High, which became Ball High North after integration. After her initial retirement in 1992, she was hired back for 1 more year.
After retirement, Gloria and Jesse did some travel to visit grandchildren and Gloria began volunteering. In 1996 she started going to the UTMB ACE Unit (Acute Care for Elders) where she played the piano in the reception room twice a week for about 1 1/2 hours. She still plays there regularly, but now only once a week.
Gloria attended the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church for most of her life, until her children were grown. Jesse started going to the 2nd Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and eventually, Gloria started going there too because they needed her help with their music program. Jesse died in 1998.
These days, Gloria remains very involved with her family, friends and community. She continues to drive her car for her various activities. In addition to the volunteering at UTMB, she plays piano at her church, is vice president of the Galveston branch of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and is active with Zeta Phi Beta sorority, the retired teachers' association and some other groups. She sends cards to many elderly acquaintances every month. She is involved regularly with her great grandkids and has many god-children that she nurtures. One of them, who is now 60, calls her every day. In addition, she is interacts regularly with many friends and neighbors.
When asked about the most traumatic experience in her life, Gloria related a story about going to Hughes Tool in Houston with some of her fellow student nurses for a day of practical training. She joined her colleagues in the company dining room, but, because she was the only black person in the group, she was told to go to a different room. In the end, the other nurses supported her by going with her to the other dining room.
Gloria attributes her good health and alertness to staying busy, helping others and being close to family and friends.
