Gloria Helene (Magavero) Fleck

Age 81, of Paris, died Monday, August 7, 2017 in Alliance Community Care Center. She was born on June 8, 1936 in Buffalo, NY to Carl and Anna (Bird) Magavero.  She was the 3rd of 9 children.  She had three brothers and 5 sisters.  In 1954 she graduated valedictorian from Forestville Central High School in New York and began attending Albany State Teacher's College. In August, 1955, she met Donald Grant Fleck, on a blind date.  She discontinued her studies to marry him on September 10, 1956.  After a brief honeymoon in Stow, VT, Donald was drafted into the army.  Their first home was in Brighton, MA where their eldest daughter, Kathy was born (1957).  They relocated to Bedford, MA in anticipation of the birth of their second child, Barbara (1959).  Kristy and Sharon quickly followed (1960 and 1961).  Donald had since separated from the military and was working as a civilian at Watertown Arsenal.  In 1963, Donald was offered a job at Kolcast Industries and the family relocated to Alliance, OH.  Gloria busied herself raising her 4 daughters, singing in the Regina Coeli church choir, serving as a member of the PTA and the Altar and Rosary Society, and as a Girl Scout Leader.  She was a beautiful seamstress who made many of her daughters' clothes and most of her own.  She sewed many Halloween costumes for her children and made her youngest daughter's wedding dress.  In 1978, she earned a bachelor's degree from Kent State University in Banking and Finance.  She worked for Beneficial and Stark Tax as well as volunteering for VITA at the Alliance Senior Center for many years.  She enjoyed traveling and liked to spend winters in Florida.  She visited Ireland, Hawaii, England, the Caribbean, and Germany as well as many places throughout the United States.  She collected dolls for many years.  She supported the Animal Attic by selling donated items for them on e-bay.  In 1992, she lost her oldest daughter, Kathy, to cancer.  She was also preceded in death by her eldest sister, Joan Bombarger, and her oldest brother Gerard Magavero. Gloria is survived by her husband of (almost) 61 years, Donald, her daughters Barbara (Jarlath), Kristy (Stan), and Sharon (Randy),  her grandchildren, Jason, Allison, Molly, Candice, Zachary, Chelsea, Ty, Noah, Malachi, and Zoe, and 3 great-grandchildren, Owen, Aiden, and Isabella. She is also survived by six of her siblings, Michael, Karla, Karen, Linda, Rosemary, and Greg.

Mass of the Christian burial will be Saturday at 10:00 am at the St. Gabriel Catholic Church with Fr. Victor Cinson as celebrant. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cure Alzheimers Fund ( www.curealz.org ) or Autism Speaks ( www.autismspeaks.org ).