Obituaries
Gloria C. (Conrad) Stewart, 93
May 19, 2020
Gloria C. (Conrad) Stewart, 93, formerly of Camp Hill, passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, at Country Meadows Retirement Home in Lancaster. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the daughter of the late Violet Loretta (Abel) and William Conrad. She was the wife of the late Robert S. Stewart, who passed in 2010.
Gloria graduated from South Hills HS and she went on to earn a BS in Education from University of Pittsburgh and then later a master’s degree from Shippensburg University. She taught English and Humanities and was loved by her students at John Harris High School and Mechanicsburg High School, where she taught for many years. During her teaching career, she also served as the advisor for the school’s Yearbook Committees and National Honor Societies. She enjoyed Broadway plays, the opera and art history, and she loved to share her passion and knowledge with her students. She returned to teaching in her 80’s to teach adults English as a Second Language and found great joy in being able to teach again and get to share in her students’ journeys.
She was a Life Member of the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg (UCH), and she served for several years as Board President. Raising her two daughters as a single parent for many years, Gloria was a strong woman in a time when women were hardly recognized for strength. She was smart, capable, funny, independent and lived a fulfilling and vibrant life.
In her retirement, she enjoyed tap dancing with Vicki’s Silver Pups, and she had the opportunity to travel the world and see in person the artworks she loved so much. Her very favorite place in the world was Florence, Italy. She was a fierce Scrabble opponent and looked forward to the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle each week. She also enjoyed sewing, knitting and needlepoint. She was a wonderful cook (oh, her strawberry and peach pies!) and hostess and took great pleasure in entertaining friends and family.
She had a gift for making lifelong friendships. For over 50 years, she especially loved the yearly trips to Sea Isle City, NJ, with her family and some of those lifelong friends. A loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Gloria will be incredibly missed by her children: Alison Karnish, wife of John of Nesquehoning, PA, and Betsi Zikmund of Mountville, PA. She is also survived by a stepson, Rob Stewart of Harrisburg; her 8 grandchildren: Emily, Ellen, Rebeca, Jose, Kaitlin, Haley, Jeff and Alissa; and her 2 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Becky Frola, and by her beloved poodle, Autumn.
Being mindful of the current guidelines for Covid 19, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Harrisburg Symphony or The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg.
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Condolences to the Family
September 20, 2021
Alison, Betsi, and family,
I just found out that Gloria passed away. You captured Gloria so well in her obituary. She was a special person. She was one of the Master teachers that befriended me when I was a young teacher at Mechanicsburg High School. I went on several of her wonderful student trips to shows in New York and exercise classes after school. We used to eat at the Vietnamese restaurant after exercise class. Many good memories of Gloria. My heartfelt sympathy,Barb Dean retired business education teacher
Barbara Dean
September 21, 2020
To Gloria’s family, I just learned of Gloria’s death and want to send you my thoughts of deepest sympathy. We traveled for many years to theater festivals in Canada and enjoyed every minute of it. Gloria shared many books with my husband and me ; we had great times visiting her and Bob for dinner, get togethers with friends. She was such an intelligent, witty friend and I will miss her very much.
Ann Heilman
May 26, 2020
Gloria and I were roommates on musical adventures in New York and Baltimore. She was such fun to be with. And aside from her impressive knowledge of the arts, she had a wicked sense of humor that kept me laughing. She was a lovely woman, gracious, principled and intellectually curious. We also shared many years of Unitarian membership.
I’m sorry for the loss of this good woman.
Tucker Susskind
May 26, 2020
When I think back to high school, there are several teachers who left an impression on me. In my Humanities class, I learned to recognize artists and their style of artwork. I appreciate fine art to this day because of her. I loved working on the yearbook at Mechanicsburg with her too. She was a great teacher. I am so sorry for your loss.
Donna Ritter Fleischauer
May 25, 2020
To Mrs. Stewart’s Family:
I owe a debt of lifelong gratitude to Gloria Stewart for instilling in me an appreciation and love for the visual and performing arts as her student at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School in the 1980s. To this day, I still remember Mrs. Stewart with a smile when I think of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, or see any of John Singer Sargent’s works. Her Humanities Class awoke in me and many other students a genuine appreciation for fine art, to which I had never been exposed until that point in my life, and I frequently recall her quiet, dignified and patient manner as an example in dealing with others. Though I was fortunate enough to have only one class with her, she left a profound, positive impact on me, and countless others, and I hope your sorrow will be softened knowing that her kind and generous spirit lives on in the way she molded many in her example as a teacher. Thank you for having shared her with so many. Peace and comfort to you all in the time moving forward.
Matthew Seagrist
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
MASH Class of 1987
May 25, 2020
Alison, Betsi, and family
i has the great pleasure of working with your Mom at Mechanicsburg and team taught with her for a few years. She was a wonderful teachers always filled with great ideas. I learned a lot from her and she made me a better teacher. You are in my thoughts and prayers. William Murray
May 24, 2020
To Gloria’s Family,
I was sorry to hear of Gloria’s passing. She was a great lady and a nice friend. She was such a friendly neighbor and we all missed seeing her walking about with Autumn when she moved from Green Lane Farms. Sharon McTavish
May 24, 2020
I’d like to offer my sincere condolences to Gloria’s family. I watched Gloria teach many inspiring English lessons at Mechanicsburg High School after I joined the staff as an assistant principal in 1983. She was a dedicated teacher and a valualable member of the English department.
Dennis Baker
May 23, 2020
Betsi and family
Your mom sounds like an incredible person. I did not know she was s uu. It’s great that she was so active in later yrs. I am sorry for your loss. May the warm memories comfort you.
Evanna and Len
May 23, 2020
Gloria led me to join the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg in 1985. When I saw her needle pointing during services, I was sold. This was a place where all forms of meditation would be welcomed. Every aspect of Gloria’s being reinforced the draw. Over the years, her substance unfolded for me with continuing impact: gracious manner, wit, curiosity, broad knowledge from writers of the ages, love of dramatic performance, physical energy, talented educator–Gloria Stewart, a woman of substance, a woman of influence.
Cordell Affeldt
May 23, 2020
I will miss this lovely and sophisticated lady. She was an inspiration to me in so many ways.
Caroline Parke
