Gloria Willson

Gloria Jean Bearden Willson, 78, of Pampa, passed away on February 19, 2025, at her home, with family by her side.

Services will be 10:00 AM, Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel with Pastor Jim Sinyard of the Carpenter’s Church of Pampa, officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory. 

Gloria will be available for viewing from 3:00 -8:00 PM on Sunday, and from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM on Monday, at the funeral home. 

Gloria was born on January 26, 1947, in Pampa to Belton and Dorothy Bearden. Gloria was a lifelong resident of Pampa, graduating from Pampa High School in 1965. She married the love of her life, Alfred Willson, on February 18, 1989, and he preceded her in death on March 16, 2023.

She began working in high school through the DECA program at Behrman’s Dress Shop, part-time. After graduation, she attended IBM Business Machine School in Dallas, returning to Pampa to work in the IBM Department of Cabot Corporation from 1965-1967, moving then to Port Hueneme, California during the Vietnam War, where she worked for Raytheon Corporation and at Civil Service for the United States Naval Department at the United States Construction Battalion Base, 1967-1969. Gloria worked 10 years for Pampa Independent School District Cafeterias from 1983 -1993 and then she worked 15 years, 1993-2008 for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Jordan Unit as an Inmate Records clerk, retiring in 2008.

Gloria was truly a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Enjoying every bit of life, walking hand in hand with her husband, Alfred, whom she adored. She especially loved being with and enjoying her dear son and daughter-in-law, her daughter and son-in-law, and her beloved four grandchildren, who meant the world to her, always sending them special surprise packages through the years for all occasions. They called Grandma “GiGi”. She enjoyed serving God, being a member of Briarwood Church. Gloria also enjoyed camping, fishing, and hiking, and had a special love of mountains and log cabins, and collecting Indian artifacts and eagles.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; grandparents, Albert Bearden, Rosa Bearden, Lewis Abbott, and Nell Colgrove; brother-in-law, Robert Craig and sister-in-law Eileen Bearden.

Gloria is survived by a son, Darren Poore and wife Kelly of Austin; one daughter, Brandi Silva and husband Tony of Bremerton, Washington; four grandchildren, Riley Poore of Washington, D.C., Logan Poore of Logan, Utah, Loren Silva of Bellingham, Washington, and Luke Silva of Bremerton, Washington; brother, Johnny Bearden and special nieces, Carol Sue Knutson, Lisa Stevens, plus many other dear nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.