Gloria Guenther

Gloria Lee Guenther left this earth on August 15, 2025, called home by her Heavenly Father. Gloria was 97 years old and was born on December 30, 1927 in Thayer Illinois, the third youngest of 12 siblings. Her parents were Moses and Laura O'Brien.

Gloria completed her early education in Thayer and graduated high school in Virden, a few miles away. After taking business classes at night, Gloria found a job in Springfield, the capital city of Illinois, where she commuted about 60 miles a day from her home in Thayer.

It was in Springfield where she met her husband of 64 years at a chilly supper, Arthur Alchesay Guenther, from Whiteriver Arizona. Arthur was attending Concordia Lutheran Seminary at the time. Following Arthur's graduation, they were married in Athens Illinois on October 19, 1947. Arthur received a Call for service to the Lord for the Safford/Morenci area, back to Arizona, and Gloria embarked on what would be her long and faithful support for her husband in his missionary ministry. Her family only knew of the Wild West, through books and movies and were very concerned about her leaving. After 2 years covering many towns in southeastern Arizona all the way from Safford to Douglas on Sundays, Arthur returned to Whiteriver on the White Mountain Apache Reservation to assist his ailing father, Rev. E.E. Guenther, who was an early missionary to the Apaches, starting the East Fork orphanage and nursery and church in Whiteriver. Arthur and Gloria continued the ministry there for the next 50 years. During this time Gloria managed many roles, homemaker, mother, Sunday School and Vacation Bible school teacher, Head Start teacher (20+ years), and many other church and civic activities.

In 1997 when Arthur reluctantly decided to retire from the ministry and his beloved Apache congregations, Gloria and Art moved from their home of 50 years in Whiteriver and settled comfortably in Pinetop Arizona, just 18 miles away. Gloria continued to be active in her new church, Immanuel Lutheran, singing in the choir, bible classes, church refreshments, altar preparations, holiday decoration and many other church activities. Gloria also volunteered at the local hospital, sewing pillows for surgery patients and at the Lakeside library, sorting and re-shelving returned books. Gloria and Art supported the Lakeside Museum Historical Society by volunteering both time and artifacts.

Following the death of her beloved husband on April 30, 2012, Gloria continued to live in her home, independently, for the next 13 years, until age finally caught up with her and required her, for safety reasons, to enter assisted living in September 2024. Until that time Gloria still enjoyed daily walks near her home or around Woodlake Lake.

Gloria was the last of her (12) siblings and she is survived by her son, Mark (Sylvia) Guenther, daughter, Cynde (Wes) Guenther-Weddle, four grandchildren, Richard, Michelle, Greg, Bryan, as well as (11) great grandchildren, Alyssa, Hunter, Katalyna, Jaden, Ava, Jett, Juliet, Jamison, Jocelyn, Jackson, Jagger.

"Mom and Grandma" will be greatly missed for her unconditional love and acceptance.