Gloria J. Coward-Coyle

Gloria June Schultz Coward Coyle died peacefully at Hospice House residence on 18 November 2015 after a 37 year battle with cancer. She was supported and sustained by her family and many dear and faithful friends.

Born 12 February 1930, the eldest daughter of Walter Schultz and Anna Osborn, Gloria spent her early life in Bay City and Grosse Ile. She worked hard, studied hard and borrowed money to go to pharmacy school at Ferris State College in Big Rapids. Months before graduation, she began dating one of her professors, Richard Coward, who asked her to marry him within weeks. She wrote her Pharmacy Board Exams on Monday and Tuesday and they were married on Wednesday 27 February 1952. Dick didn't want to let her get away.

After a few more years in Big Rapids, they moved to Battle Creek in 1957 where they both worked in pharmacies in the area until buying their own business in 1959. They worked side by side over the years, both in their own business, Coward Pharmacy, and doing relief work for other colleagues. Gloria was active in the local and state pharmacy associations and they attended many pharmacy conventions in Mackinac Island, Traverse City, Boyne Mountain and New Zealand. They took their children to these conventions and enjoyed family time and shared parenting responsibilities.

Having sold their business in 1976, Gloria continued to do relief work in many pharmacies in the local area. Gloria and Dick also began to travel widely, on their own, with Elder Hostel, as well as with family and friends and visited many places in the US and Canada as well as Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, England and Australia.

After Dick's death in 1990, Gloria continued working, walking and travelling. She met and married John Dewey Coyle, a fellow mall walker, in 1993 and they travelled widely throughout the US and to Italy, Mexico and Canada until John's health deteriorated. After his death, she visited family in Brussels Belgium and celebrated the milestones of a long life – graduations, birthdays and family holidays, hosting innumerable family gatherings at her house and exercising her considerable culinary skills. She was active in her church, St. Thomas Episcopal, working often in the Summer Breakfast Programme and continued to be a faithful mall walker and gym attendee. Her one golden rule was "Look after yourself first and everything else will fall into place" and she practiced what she preached. Her children wish to acknowledge her lifetime dedication to family loyalty, perseverance, and hard work as the keys to success.

She is survived by her children, Anne Coward (Rick Hatton) of Inverary, Ontario , James Coward (Arlene Tannis-Coward), Hugh Coward (Bonnie Coward) and Robert Coward (Myrna Coward) all of Battle Creek, six grandchildren, the late Brenton Coward, Thomas Coward, Tyler Coward, all of Battle Creek, Gloria Tannis-Coward of Grand Rapids, Patrick Hatton (Cheryl Hatton) of Sackville, Nova Scotia, and Michael Hatton of Baltimore, MD, one great grandchild, Alex Hatton of Sackville, sisters Dianne Sexton (Robert Sexton) of Marshall, Karen Vasicek (Robert Vasicek) of Commerce Township, Kathleen Wood (Robert Wood) of Cass City, Gladys Miller (Ivory Miller) of Battle Creek and brother Norman Schultz (Diane Schultz) of Southgate. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Walter Schultz, James Schultz (Elli Schultz), Bud Roberts, and a special cousin William Schultz (Joan Schultz). She is also survived by stepdaughter Connie Pendleton of Hilton Head, SC, step grandson Patrick Pendleton of Chicago, step grandchildren Patricia, Robert and the late Gary and 11 step great grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her many, many friends.

Visitation will be held at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care on Monday 23 November from 6-8PM; a Celebration of Life service will follow on Tuesday 24 November at 11AM, also at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gloria's name can be made to the Summer Breakfast Programme at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 16 Van Buren Street East, Battle Creek, Michigan 49017. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.