Gloria Gertrude Kimmel Robinson, formerly of Du Quoin
Gloria Gertrude Kimmel, 94, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, formerly of Du Quoin, died at 7:43 p.m. Oct. 3, 2018, at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill.
There was no service and visitation was kept to immediate family. Gloria's remains are being cremated and at some point in the near future that has yet to be determined, her ashes will be interred in the family plot at the IOOF Cemetery in Du Quoin.
Gloria was born on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1924, in Du Quoin, the daughter of Gertrude Leila Kimmel and Howard Elihu Kimmel. She was the younger sister of Patricia Ann Kimmel.
She grew up and graduated from high school in Du Quoin, surrounded by a wide extended family. In 1932, her father was elected the State's Attorney of Perry County, but he passed away unexpectedly in January 1933 before he was sworn into office. Gloria was 8 years old.
Following this terrible event, her uncle, Lucius Kimmel, encouraged her mother, Gertrude, to take a tour to Europe to recover from the death of her husband. In July 1934, the family and Lucius embarked on a grand tour of Europe, driving across the continent in a Duesenberg automobile that traveled to Europe aboard ship with them. These were formative experiences in Gloria's life, and she often recounted stories of this tour.
She attended Gulf Park College for Women, a junior college in Gulfport, Mississippi. After one year, she transferred to DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where her cousin, Joseph Kimmel, was enrolled. She graduated from DePauw in the Class of 1946.
In 1953, she met her husband-to-be, Ernest Arthur Robinson ("Ernie") from Chicago, after being introduced by a family member. They were married on Oct. 17, 1953, and started a family, eventually having three children.
Ernie's career led them to live abroad for 17 years in Colombia, Mexico and Spain. Gloria enjoyed her work as a homemaker and also did volunteer work at the libraries of the American School Foundation in Mexico City and the American School of Madrid.
After moving back to the U.S. in 1976, the family settled briefly in Macungie, Pennsylvania, where Gloria earned a master's degree in Library Science from Kutztown State College.
The family moved to St. Charles, Illinois, where Gloria obtained full-time employment as a librarian in a Kane County school system.
Upon retirement, Gloria and Ernie moved to Keowee Key in Salem, South Carolina. After Ernie's death in 1992, Gloria moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to be closer to her daughter, Patricia.
Gloria is survived by her three children: Mark Whiting Robinson (Cynthia), David Kimmel Robinson (Grace), and Patricia Robinson. She is also survived by her four grandchildren: Samuel, Martha, Keturah, and Michael.
Gloria was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Patricia Ann Sellers.
Gloria will be interred next to Ernie in the IOOF Cemetery in Du Quoin.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association. Visit them at www.alz.org.