Gloria Jan Ullom

Gloria Jan Ullom was born on February 5, 1955. The second daughter in a family of four girls born to my parents, Leo and Dorothy Ullom. Gloria was always the adventurous one, Always looking for something different and daring to try. Always the brave one, and always the one I looked up to. Gloria and I always shared a bedroom and I can remember many night's we would lie awake in our beds and share stories, she always made everything sound so exciting. Gloria never made me feel like the "younger" sister, she always had time for me.

Gloria had severe Asthma and I remember many nights the Emergency Fire Squad would be called to our house to give Gloria treatment. She would be put on their oxygen tank and they would administer drugs to get her lungs and breathing under control and then my Mom would make the drive out to Fontana California, to the Kaiser Hospital, Very often escorted by the Sheriff with lights and siren, Where the Doctor's could try to gain control of the Asthma Attack.
During the 1960's Gloria spent 27 Month's at Sunair Children's Asthmatic Home in Sunland California, Living at the facility which at the time was a state of the art treatment facility, Clean Air and a treatment regiment of around the clock care and medication schedule. It was extremely difficult for our family to be separated, We lived out in the San Gabriel Valley at the time. My Mom was a grocery checker for Von's markets at the time and transferred to the Foothill Boulevard store so she could have daily visit's with Gloria. I always sent Gloria handmade cards and letters so my Mom could give them to her and she in turn would send back a note to be delivered by my Mom to me. We did see each other on the weekends and holidays of course.

After a time everyone agreed that Gloria needed to be at home, Her Asthma was a bad as ever while at Sunair and our family was miserable without her at home. The Doctor had prescribed Oxygen tanks to be kept at our house, not the small compact units you see today ... these were huge, standing about 5 feet tall with all the tubes and wires and mask included. We kept one in the bedroom, one in my parents room and all the extras were stored in the garage, the man would deliver a fresh supply about every 2 weeks.

Things were slowly getting better for me, I had my sister back at home. I can remember telling her I would never let her Doctor's take her away from me again! And thankfully, they didn't!

In about 1966 our family moved to the San Fernando Valley, Gloria was in Junior High School by now and I was still in Elementary School, It didn't stop us from hanging out together. We had discovered a Horse Stable within walking distance of our house, at this time the Valley was Orange grove's and lot's of open land to explore, and we did explore, often spending all day at the ranch to ride and Gloria would even clean up stalls for the stable owner so she could ride for free.

Gloria met and married her first husband in 1973 and soon my Nephew Jason was born. The light of our life's. Jason was the first grandbaby to be born in our family and we showered him with love and affection.

I still spent a lot of time with my sister and enjoyed every minute of it, especially now that Jason was here.

Gloria moved to Oklahoma during the late 1970's, She had a new dream to pursue and it was not in California much to my dismay. After about 15 years she moved back to California.
Gloria's Asthma was still a major health problem for her. Some new medicines were available by now and there was a bit of improvement for her. However, Gloria was taking so many drugs to control the uncontrollable and still being admitted to the Hospital for the bad attacks.

During this time we continued to nurture our sisterhood even though our visit's were infrequent we still talked on the phone a lot, Very often finding the goofiest stuff to talk and laugh about, Gloria had a fun loving fantastic personality and would always find the good in any thing bad. Always having a ton of friends and she would just about give the shirt off her back to them if they needed it. A quality I absolutely adored in her.

In late December 1999 Gloria had been hospitalized and this was a bad episode, compounded by a viral infection she just could not gain control of her asthma, she convinced the Doctor's to let her out of the hospital, against medical advice, she went home to care for her boy's at the time were young teenagers.

The afternoon of January 15, 2000 I received a call from my Nephew Jason telling me that his Mom, my sister, Gloria had passed away. Jason explained that Gloria had woke up that morning and felt sick, told her middle son that she just didn't feel "right", went back to bed and at noon her youngest son checked on her and she had already passed away.
Every one gathered at my Mom's house and plans were made for Gloria. I tried to be the strong one, everyone around me was feeling so much grief it was a very difficult day. My Mom was trying but it was nearly impossible to think about her daughter, dead at the age of 44. I simply couldn't think of my best friend and sister ... Gone forever.
An autopsy was performed, as Gloria was so young the County had to find the cause of her sudden death.

We had Gloria's service and there were so many people that came which made me feel very proud that Gloria had so many wonderful caring friends'. After everyone had gone, I stood looking at my sister, Wondering how I could go on ... without her ... She had never been more beautiful, truly at peace, no more pain to be seen in her expression. A vision I will carry with me the rest of my days.
Gloria was cremated. My mom was not able to cope with picking up her ashes, My mom asked me to do it. I told her of course I will do it, I wanted to do it.
I was not prepared for the small box the man from the mortuary placed in my hands. I was totally taken aback and had to run from that place so that I could run from the truth, that my beautiful sister was gone. It had truly sunk in to me. I got to my truck and tried to control the river of tears that were now flowing. I held Gloria close to me, bellowing out loud, wishing for something I knew I could never have again ... My sister.
I gently set Gloria's box on the seat next to me and proceeded home, Which was about one hour away and I felt it may have been 100 hours from home. I drove the Canyon Route, stopping several times along the shoulder because my tears were still flowing. At one point I actually got out of my truck at an overlook. I stopped and really looked at everything around me, taking every sight and sound in. I saw two Red Tail Hawks soaring above me, Not flying, just kind of gliding, without making a sound.
I felt like I wasn't there in the physical sense, just as I had felt for the last week ... Like I was watching this but not a part of it. I slowly began to realize that a very important part of myself was gone, someone I trusted and loved ... someone that was a very important part of my life was gone.


My mom received the coroner's report and it stated that Gloria had Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy and had died as a result of a sudden death heart attack. The heart muscle thickens and it becomes harder for the blood to pump in and out of the heart, placing a strain on the heart itself. Gloria probably did not know she had the condition.

Web Author: Darla Vanderlip
To reach me by E-mail: Darvee729@aol.com
Web Site: Gloria Jan Ullom
Page Created: July 10, 2002
Revised:: July 11, 2002
URL: http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~darlav/index.html