Gloria Darlene (Bartolomie) Clem, deeply loved and treasured Mother, Grandma, mentor and friend, passed away on December 6, 2017 in Plano, Texas. She was born April 11, 1938 in Fort Bragg, California, to parents Ernie and Irene Bartolomie, she was raised in Ukiah, California and later moved to the Oakland Bay Area, where she served as Honored Queen of her Job’s Daughters Bethel. She attended San Jose State University and while there, met and married Neil Gene Clem. Gloria was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, and later an operator with the telephone company. She then became a mother and homemaker. After her kids were grown, she returned to work and retired from Sprint Nextel in 2010. 

All her life Gloria enjoyed making beautiful and unique handmade items. For many years she and her mother Irene held well attended boutiques at Irene’s home in Lafayette.  Later Gloria started a mail order catalogue business, Gloria’s of California, which specialized in assorted handmade goods that shipped internationally. She continued to enjoy creating beautiful and unique treasures throughout her life.  

Gloria was a very proactive volunteer for the sport of diving, helping to found the Pacific Association, and eventually becoming the Secretary of US Diving. She was a volunteer at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and was a member of the 1992 Olympic diving team in Barcelona, Spain, where she served as the Team Leader. She loved traveling the world with her divers and her beloved husband, Neil.    

She is survived by her daughters, Krista Clem O'Sullivan of Valentia Island, Ireland, Daneen Rene Clem of Plano, Texas, and daughter and son-in-law Alison and Eric Zimmerman of Wylie, Texas; grandchildren, Jacob Anthony Clem, Lydia Irene Clem, Michael Séamus O’Sullivan, Tessie Darlene O’Sullivan, and Christian and Joshua Zimmerman. 

Gloria was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Neil Gene Clem. 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., December 12, 2017 at First United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas. A Celebration of Life Reception will follow from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Park Central in Richardson, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.