Not only was 1930 the year Gandi began his famous 200-mile protest against the British monopoly on salt, and the same year the “silent generation” was born into the Great Depression, but it was the year a baby was born who would go on to take the world by storm! Gloria, born in Milwaukee, WI, was an independent child who grew up in the middle of World War II. At age 2, she moved to South China and Hong Kong and remained there until the end of the war.
Gloria’s childhood experiences helped her decide she would become a doctor, as she grew up in a French convent hospital. Gloria returned to the U.S with her mother and 3 siblings in her teens but maintained a close connection with Hong Kong throughout her life. An exceptional student, Gloria attended Marylhurst College before being admitted to Marquette University’s medical college – where she was one of only three women in her class!
In college she would meet her future husband, James D. In the year of 1955 the two married and settled in the DC area. Gloria and Jim had four children: Jackie, Chris, Theresa and Paula. She played a similar role to Wonder Woman, balancing work and family life just beautifully. Mrs. D. practiced as a pediatrician where she was profoundly successful and ahead of the times. Her subspecialty was taking care of disabled children. In the early 1960s, Gloria and husband Jim became board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, which was a new specialty during that time.
Gloria continued God’s work as a devout Catholic, working at Children’s Hospital helping children from all over the world. She was also a professor at both George Washington University and Georgetown University for more than 30 years. After her retirement in 1998 she pursued a longtime interest in painting and traveling. We are so grateful to have her here at Kensington Park as she continues to grace the world with her one-of-a-kind wit and personality!