Gloria M. Gablemann

Gloria M. Gabelmann passed away peacefully at Havencare at Litchfield Woods Nursing Facility on Sept. 11, 2026 with family by her side. She is now in the presence of The Lord.

Gloria was born in Winsted, CT on Aug. 22, 1930 to Reuben and Beatrice (Coe) Miller. She grew up in Riverton, CT and attended local schools. It was at the Gilbert High School that she met her future husband, Charles F. Gabelmann Jr. He would drive from Winsted to Riverton to court her on his father’s Ford tractor. They were married at the Episcopal Church in Riverton on Feb. 26, 1949. They built their life together in Winsted, spending 64 happy years there until Charles’ death in 2013.

One of Gloria’s first jobs was making rush seats for the Hitchcock Chair Company in Riverton. Later, she enjoyed making candy canes at the Atkins Candy Kitchen in Winsted. She was very proud of her ability to feed large groups of people, as learned during her employment with the Winsted School Lunch Program. She later worked as office manager in the Dental offices of both Dr. Gary Jamieson and later, Dr. Theodore Marolda.

In addition to working outside the home, she was a loving, devoted mother to her three sons, whose friends were always warmly welcomed into her home.

Community involvement was important to Gloria. She volunteered at the Riverton Fair for over eighty years. One of her proudest accomplishments was becoming the first female president of the fair, (1989-1993) following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Leon Coe, a founder of the fair and its first president. She was also very involved as a member of the CT State Fair Association. Gloria volunteered as an election worker for many years for the city of Winsted.

She and her closest friends spent many happy hours gathering together in a group they simply called “Club”. In the late 1960’s she was an active member of the Gilbert School Boosters Club.

Gloria was a woman of many talents. She often spoke of the times in the 1950’s when her father in-law, who owned Gabelmann & Sons Construction Co. would call on her to drive a tractor or dump truck to the work site when they were short- handed. She was an accomplished baker, most famous for her rolls, and she loved to make jellies and jams from fruit grown in her own backyard. She golfed, bowled, and enjoyed listening to music of all sorts, attending concerts and shows whenever she could. One of her favorite pastimes was a rousing game of Canasta with her grandchildren. She could often be found inventing new rules as the game progressed.

Gloria is survived by her three sons and their families, Charles III and his wife Cynthia, of Bath, Maine and their children Caitlin Gabelmann (Thomas Addor), Margaret Gabelmann, Hannah Brewer (Mason); Richard and his wife, Sheryl of Winsted, Connecticut and their daughter Rachel Decker (Jeremy); Gregory and his wife, Kathryn of East Windsor, Connecticut and their children Nancy Bednarz (John Moran), Susan Gabelmann (Alex Tzoklinov), Thomas Gabelmann (Stephanie Grey), Abigail Gabelmann, Bonnie Gabelmann (Jack Collins); and two brothers- in-law, Maurice Gabelmann and Winthrop Southworth. She is also survived by 11 beloved great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, Gloria was predeceased by her siblings Beatrice Emmons, Reuben Miller, Mary Thomsen, and John Miller.

The Gabelmann family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Havencare at Litchfield Woods, for the wonderful care provided to Gloria during her time there.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 in Gloria’s memory.

Funeral and Burial services will be private. However, the family invites you to join them in a Celebration of Life for Gloria on Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 1-4 P.M. at Crystal Peak, 164 Torrington Road, Winsted, CT 06098. Food, soft drinks, desserts and memories to be enjoyed and shared by all those who knew Gloria whether family, friend or former co-worker.