Gloria Ferrara

Aug 21, 1941 -

Jul 10, 2023

Gloria J. Ferrara of Anchorage, Alaska, died at home on July 10, 2023, at age 81, of complications with cancer.

She was born in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 21, 1941, the daughter of Fred and Pauline Gallant. The family moved to Alaska in 1952, when her father came and started a trucking company, Arctic Motor Freight. She met her eventual husband, Fred, when she was 13 years old, when his family occupied the other side of a duplex they were living in. They became high school sweethearts, marrying in 1959, resulting in a 64 year marriage. She lived in Anchorage for all of the years, other than three years in Juneau, Alaska, in the mid-1960s.

She was actively involved in the initial years of their family appraisal business in the 1970s and 80s, both appraising property as well as financial management. During her life she was active in many areas, bowling, square dancing, gardening and golfing, but in all years was always working on quilting, sewing, crafting or needlework projects, gifting most to friends and relatives.

She enjoyed traveling, having visited countries in all continents other than Antarctica, but most of all loved being at the family's second home in Maui, Hawaii, where she said she never had to worry about being cold and could play golf virtually every day year-round.

Gloria is survived by her husband, Fred; as well as daughter, Kimberly Martin; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren, most of whom live in Alaska. Two children, Fred Ferrara III and Elizabeth Strong, predeceased her as did her parents; and only sibling, Nancy Conley.

A celebration of life will be held at the family home, 11116 Shady Lane in Anchorage, on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, beginning at 5:30 p.m.