Gloria M. Martin, 89, of West Long Branch passed away peacefully at home on Monday, December 14, 2015, with her loving daughters by her side.

Gloria was born in Long Branch, where she attended grammar school and high school. She married the love of her life, Charles Ray Martin, or “Ray” as everyone knew him, in 1949, just before they moved to the Panama Canal Zone where Ray was stationed in the US Army. They lived there for 3 years and had two children before moving back to Long Branch. A few years later they moved to West Long Branch, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

Gloria worked as a secretary at Electronics Associates, Inc. in West Long Branch for 28 years. She was a longtime member of Saint Jerome Roman Catholic Church, where she was a charter member of the Rosary Altar Society and a Lector at Mass for 13 years. She also volunteered 3 years of her time reading to first graders at the West Long Branch Elementary School under the RSVP Program and was a member of the Friends of the West Long Branch Library. Gloria loved traveling with Ray, especially to St. Maarten and Naples, FL.

Gloria was predeceased by her husband, Ray in 2000, her father, Peter Talerico and her mother, Marion Ferragine. She is survived by her daughter, Marcia Elia of West Long Branch and her husband, Ron; her daughter, Cindy Burke of Brick and her husband, Don; and grandchildren, Kristin Elia, Drew Elia, Don Burke III and Tim Burke. Her husband, children and grandchildren were the loves of her life. They will all miss her love, hugs, kisses and support very, very much.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 4-7 pm Thursday at the Fiore Funeral Home, 882 Broadway, West Long Branch. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10:30 am Friday at St. Jerome’s Church in West Long Branch followed by entombment at Woodbine Mausoleum in Oceanport. Flowers will be accepted, but in lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to Barnabas Health Hospice, 95 Old Short Hills Road, West Orange, NJ 07052.
For condolences, please visit Gloria’s memorial website at www.fiorefuneralhomes.com.