Gloria Marie (Gauthier) Knapp-Pankratz's Obituary
Gloria Marie (Gauthier) Knapp-Pankratz passed away peacefully while sleeping in her home in Puyallup, WA on Monday November 18, 2019. She died of natural causes at the grand age of 95. She had been talking to her sister, Joy, and husband, Tony, for days before so we can only assume they were there to greet her, along with the angels. She will be dearly missed by her daughter, Jackie, and her graddaughters, Michelle and Gina.
She was born on May 16, 1924 in Tacoma, WA the oldest of three daughters to Eugene Joseph Gauthier and Hazel Hortense Cline. She graduated from St. Patrick's School in 1938 and then from Stadium High School in 1942. She then attended Buetel Business College where she learned Accounting and Payroll. She worked in offices in the Tacoma area including Dutch Boy Paint Store and Johnson Engineering. She married Anthony Knapp in 1956 and they had one daughter, Jacqueline Knapp in 1961. She continued working for the U.S. Forces Civilian Accounting Department in Tampa, FL and Chateauroux, France. She also traveled and lived in Brindisi and Naples, Italy where her husband was stationed. When Tony retired from the Air Force, they settled in Tacoma and had a new house built in which Gloria enjoyed landscaping the front and backyard herself. During her life, she also enjoyed ballroom dancing, oil painting, bowling, roller skating, crocheting, as well as spending time with family and friends. She was an excellent and creative seamstress. Gloria lived from one century to another and saw a lot in life. Her granddaughters looked up to her as brave and optimistic.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, Tony Knapp, in 1983.
She married John Pankratz in 1988, and they bought a 4-acre farm and raised a few cows in Orting, WA. John passed away in 1992. Gloria lived the rest of her life in Puyallup, where she was close with her daughter and granddaughters and had the best of times spent with them watching them grow up.
Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Tony Knapp, two younger sisters, Joy Erspamer and Yvonne Simpson, and her husband John Pankratz. Gloria is survived by her daughter Jackie Dehls of Puyallup, WA, granddaughter Michelle (Joe) White, of Billings, MT, and granddaughter Gina Dehls of Billings, MT, as well as three nephews Rick, Paul, and Tom Simpson and families, and one niece Margaret Daniel and family. We want to thank Hospice Services of Tacoma for their kindness and gentleness during the passing of Gloria. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00pm, Monday November 25, 2019 at Mountain View Funeral Home Garden Chapel.
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