Grandma was born on April 7, 1928 in Lubbock
Texas to Merced and Josephine Ortega. At
the age of five, the family moved to Roswell, New Mexico. Gloria had three sisters and one brother.
Grandma used to share the story that my grandpa
chased her when they were in grade school together. Finally, my grandpa’s chasing days were over
when they married on May 7, 1947 (65 years) in New Mexico. In 1952, the Barela family moved to
California.
Grandma had 5 children. Her children are Orlando, Waldo, Gina, Vivian
and Robert Jr. Orlando and Vivian are
with the Lord.
Grandma also babysat a young man by the name of
Rocky since he was 7 months old and took care of him for 13 years. He has always called her grandma and she
loves him just as much as she loved the rest of her grandchildren.
Grandma could always be found in the kitchen
making eggs for breakfast using a pound of Manteca and making fresh homemade
flour tortillas as only Grandma could!
We could never understand how she was able to role the masa into a round
tortilla and not stick to the rolling pin.
When my uncle’s friends would come over they
would be welcomed with open arms! My
grandma would always make sure they were well fed, because no one was leaving
grandma’s house hungry.
The house was always clean, dishes were always
washed, and laundry was always done.
When it was time to go to church, grandma was always dressed up from
head to toe, complete with a nicely styled hair, dress and of course high
heeled shoes. Grandma was dress to
impress the Lord.
It is a testament to my grandmother’s life that a
lot of us grandchildren are involved in ministry of all kinds. One who works with youth, another who is
ready to do what God calls her to do and another who pastors a church. Grandma is proud of all of her children and
grandchildren.
If
there is one word, although there are many, that I would use to describe her it
would be LOVE. The Bible says this in 1 Corinthians
chapter 13:
13 If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can
fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If
I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have
not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient,
love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It
is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record
of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they
will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For
we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but
when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When
I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three
remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
That describes my grandmother, a mother to her
children, and a wife to her husband Robert.
She is survived by her husband of 65 years,
Robert, sons Waldo and Robert Jr, and one daughter Virginia. She had 8 grandchildren, Waldo Jr, Armando,
Levi, Andrea, Nia, Gloria, Nathan, and Brayden, 2 great grandchildren, Desi and
AJ, and 1 great great grandchild, Mason.
Grandma, we love you because you first loved
us….just like Jesus.
