Gloria A. (Sarne) Paletta

She was named Gloria by her dignified young mother, Samena Sarne, who fancied the silent film actress Gloria Swanson. Gloria Sarne was like a second mother to her four younger siblings, Jerry, Lucille, Phyllis and Amelia, and took her role to heart, providing firm guidance as only the oldest sister could. Her childhood began during the lean times of the Great Depression, which created in her a strong constitution, and which could have hardened her had she let it. But she never dwelled in the negative and simply chose to revel in the joy she shared with her extremely large family as they moved through that trying time with strength and grace. After high school, she worked as a clerk at Central Drug Store in New Kensington. Gloria's exceptional organizational skills could not be contained for long in Arnold, the place of her birth, and she decided to move on to the advertising agency of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn in the Grant Building in Pittsburgh, where she worked as a bookkeeper, traveling there and back to Arnold daily by train. And that train just happened to hold her destiny, the man of her dreams, Attorney Leonard Paletta. Len and Gloria quickly became a couple followed by a whirlwind romance, a lovely morning wedding and a two-month-long European honeymoon; they were like Jacqueline Bovier and Jack Kennedy. Four years later, a son arrived, Joseph Alexander, followed by a daughter they named Lenore Annette, often called honey bunny. Len and Gloria together had every gift but length of years; she was widowed at the age of 53. From that strong constitution, she developed as a child, and with the love and support of family and friends, began her new life as a single mother. And what a brave mother at that, never showing fear or trepidation despite her own sorrow, always displaying dignity, and providing support, generosity and encouragement to her children to keep going to complete their educations and get on with their respective life's work. Gloria loved to paint and took lessons to hone her craft creating pieces she gave freely to family and friends. She was an avid golfer, bowler and bridge player, playing in an ad hoc bridge club she joined at her recent residence of Amber Woods, playing like a champ until she was 92. She loved to travel, and had been to Italy many times and also visited Greece, Israel and Egypt. When she wasn't spending time with her children, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, and of course her dear siblings, she volunteered at Citizen's General hospital and delivered meals on wheels. Although this may have been a full life already, she began an entirely new and joyous chapter by becoming a grandmother at 73 years young when her daughter Lenore and son-in-law, David Hiller, gave her a grandson, John Leonard (to whom she snuck donuts on her frequent jaunts to visit them in Pleasant Hills). Her happiness grew when a second grandson, Matthew Richard, was born a few years after his big brother. Gloria's crew of "Paletta boys" continued to expand when Joseph's wife, Carolyn (Lolla), gave birth to son Gabriel Leonard, who joined the family when Gloria was 88. And even at the end, she eagerly awaited a fourth grandson, Gabriel's little brother Alexander John, who is expected to arrive July 1. Alexander will be told of the grandmother that all the Paletta boys lovingly named "Noni". She was preceded in death by her brother, Jerry, her sister, Lucille (Latagliata), and sister, Phyllis (Tabacek). She is survived by her baby sister, Amelia, who resides in Tampa, Fla., and recalls times of the great fun she had with her oldest sister at dinner dances and trips to "the show", memories that will stay in her heart the rest of her life. Everyone recognized Gloria's dignity and grace, an example of Christian womanhood. The world is a better place because she walked among us. She will be greatly missed, but is now by the Grace of God reunited with her beloved husband in the Kingdom of Heaven. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the GIUNTA-BERTUCCI FUNERAL HOME INC., 1509 Fifth Ave., Arnold, JohnPaul Bertucci, owner-supervisor. Prayers of transfer will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday in the funeral home followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. in Mt. St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, New Kensington. Burial will be at Union Cemetery, Arnold. To leave online condolences, visit www.giunta-bertucci.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gloria A. (Sarne) Paletta, please visit our floral store.