Gloria B. McCabe went to meet God in Heaven on July 12, 2017. She passed away peacefully with her family by her side, in her home in Vallejo, Calif., after a short illness. Gloria was born the second of two children in Chicago, Ill. on Aug. 14, 1923 to Jean Bell and Joseph Pryzbilski.
Gloria grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. Both of these had a long-lasting effect on her life outlook. She would avoid wasting anything at all cost, having lived through hard times. She was adamant about working hard and saving for the future. She would pay all her bills first and then see if she had any money left over for anything else. She met her future husband, Edward T. McCabe, when he was based in Chicago with the U.S. Navy. They were married in Jacksonville, Fla. on Nov. 21, 1944. After the war ended, Edward was able to complete his higher education on the G.I. Bill and went on to become a very successful lawyer and executive for Swift and Co. in Chicago.
After raising three children in Western Springs, Ill., Gloria and her husband, Edward, retired to Amelia Island, Fla. in 1990. There they lived life to the fullest with their friends and family, entertaining, enjoying the natural beauty of the island, all the while volunteering to preserve the environment and promote the Plantation’s sustainability. During their 23 years there, they completed numerous world travels including two covering the entire globe. They especially loved the island of Bequia in the Caribbean. To be near family, the couple moved in 2010 to Vallejo, where their grandchildren, Allison and Sean, were the delight of their lives. Gloria was predeceased by her husband of 66 years on May 18, 2011.
Gloria touched and inspired the lives of many friends and family members. She graced us with her curiosity, wonder, positive energy, work ethic, unconditional love and support. She will be lovingly remembered for her kindness, generosity, sense of humor and a penchant for getting in to hilarious situations. She was a proud member of the 1944 Women’s Defense Corps and a lifelong sponsoring member of United Service Organizations (USO). Gloria’s hobbies included travel, reading, knitting, painting, cooking, interior decorating, telling funny stories and shopping. As a young woman, she was employed at Bell Telephone in Cicero, Ill. and the Board of Trade in Chicago. Many summers during her marriage were spent in and around Sayner, Wisc., where she and Ed had a cabin built on Lynx Lake. One of her favorite activities was to go exploring all the back roads by herself, antiquing and “getting in to trouble.” Among her many accomplishments were two children’s books she wrote and had illustrated – Million Dollar Bunny and I Did it My Way, about a toy beagle named Douglas doing fun things with his friends.
At the age of 92, her abilities to drive and be as active and energetic as she had been all of her life were reduced; however, her spirit and care for others continued to be a strong force in her life. She would often talk about the importance of family and loving each other.
Gloria is predeceased by her sister, Lavergne Novak of Riverside, Ill.
She loved all of her family more than anything in her life and leaves behind her three children and their spouses, Matt and Ellen McCabe of Benicia, Calif., Kathie and Steve Burgess of Wilmington, Ill, and Patty Morrow of Eugene, Ore., as well as her grandchildren, Allison, Sean, Kelly, Dane, Shannon, Todd, Mariah, Taylor and Hayden and 11 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date in her hometown of Western Springs, Ill., and a graveside service in Oak Brook, Ill.