Gloria H. Bleck

Bleck, Gloria Robinson passed peacefully through the gates of heaven on May 29, 2015. Her passing was attended at her Wichita, KS home by her devoted husband of 66 years, Max E. Bleck. Also with her were Max and Glorias son, Mark E. Bleck of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and their twin daughters, Cynthia J. Bleck and Sandra L. Bleck-Weaver, who reside in Kansas City, Missouri. Glorias passage was assisted by Hospice following a tragic accident on May 11. Gloria was born in Troy, New York to Sayles and Bertha Robinson on September 4, 1924. Her formal education began at the Emma Willard School in Troy and continued at Russell Sage College, where in 1945, she graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Biology. One year later she earned a professional certificate in Physical Therapy from Duke University. Max and Gloria met in the fall of 1944 at the beginning of Maxs sophomore year at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy. Their romance was interrupted by Maxs World War II naval service, but following his return to RPI, Max won her heart and they were married in 1949. They started their family in Buffalo, New York where Mark was born in 1951. After that Gloria devoted full time to her duties as wife and mother. She excelled at both. The twins were born in 1953 and shortly thereafter, the family moved to Denver, Colorado and, later, Wichita, Kansas. Maxs career eventually took the couple to Pennsylvania, Florida, and Massachusetts. In retirement, they shared time between their homes in Wichita and Vero Beach, Florida. Gloria was an accomplished seamstress, a superb cook, and an immaculate housekeeper but she had many interests outside her home. Always a lover of the outdoors, she and Max created and tended beautiful grounds and gardens at each of their homes. They loved swing and ballroom dancing, mixed doubles tennis and sharing the international travel demanded by Maxs profession. When shoulder surgery finally took her off the tennis court, she took up duplicate bridge and excelled at that as well. She was a licensed private pilot, a voracious reader and cherished each in a long succession of beloved Canine companions. Most of all she delighted in caring for Max and sharing time and wisdom with her children and grandchildren. Gloria and Max were active members of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Wichita and St. Marks Anglican Church in Vero Beach. They generously supported numerous educational institutions and charities including Rensselaer and Russell Sage Colleges, the Emma Willard School, the Sedgwick County Humane Society, Exploration Place Inc., Senior Services Inc., and St. Stephens Church. Preceded in death by her parents, her sister Dorothy Murr and her infant son, Brian T. Bleck, Gloria is survived by her husband and children, her brother, Benjamin Robinson, and her grandchildren, Brian M. Bleck of Albuquerque, NM and Lara R. Parr of Orlando, FL. A visitation will be held at the Downing Lahey East Mortuary, from 6 - 8 P.M., Thursday, June 4, 2015. Memorial Service will be conducted at St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Friday, June 5, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas Humane Society, 3312 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.