Gloria Byrne

Gloria Byrne

Anamosa

Gloria Byrne, 83, died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, at the U of I Hospital following a sudden illness.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Anamosa. Friends may call after 9:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Anamosa. Fr. Sean Smith will officiate services. Goettsch Funeral Home has taken Gloria and her family into their care.

Surviving are her six children, Scott (Tammy) Walton, Julie (Gordon) Weathers, Cynthia (Charlie) Dickey, Nancy (Jeff) Andreesen, Steve Byrne, Paul (Hannah) Byrne, 16 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a son Craig Walton, a granddaughter Jane Andreesen, and siblings Vernon Weers, Lawrence Weers, Lorna Tempelton, Jan Shields and Margaret Ann Siebels.

Gloria Jean Weers was born July 27, 1940, in Cass Township, Jones County, Iowa. She was the daughter of John and Hanna (Cordes) Weers. She graduated from Anamosa Community Schools in 1959 and married John Walton shortly thereafter. Together they had two sons. Later she married Tom Byrne and had another son. Gloria had several jobs and enjoyed working as a secretary at Martelle School and Kirkwood Community College. She and her husband Tom also ran the Hillcrest Motel in Anamosa for many years.

Gloria loved spending time with her grandchildren, playing cards, crocheting, and bird watching. She and Tom took many fishing trips to Minnesota. You could often see her walking her Labradors around town.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have left.