Gloria B. Peaker

GLORIA BERNADETTE PEAKER was born in Baltimore, Maryland on April 27, 1923, the eldest of three children of the late Ellis Day and Helen Matthews. Although Gloria had been chronically ill over a number of years, she unexpectedly returned to the Creator the morning of Sunday, August 28, 2005. Gloria was educated at the St. Peter Claver Catholic School, St. Frances Academy and Douglass High School. Part of a closely-knit Catholic family, Gloria grew up with many relatives and friends in a nurturing West Baltimore neighborhood. These relationships shaped her to become a very vivacious, gregarious, warm and caring person. Very witty, keenly observant and perceptive, she was a "people person" who made friends wherever she went and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her. She married Jerome A. Brooks in 1940. From this union six sons were born: Jerome Jr., Ronald, Jeffrey, Gerald, Carl and Derek. This marriage ended in divorce. In 1959 she married Harry X. Peaker. From this forty-six year union, two additional sons were born, Scott and Guy. Gloria's life was centered on being "Mom" for her family and her eight boys-eight distinct persons, alike but different; she guided, doted upon, cajoled, scolded, challenged, and encouraged each of them. Drawn by her warm, caring nature she also became "Mom" to many of her sons' friends, both boys and girls, in need of motherly guidance, advice, or motivation. Music was her other passion. Gloria loved both vocal and instrumental music. She was raised in a family which appreciated and practiced the art of singing classical, spiritual and gospel music. Several offspring of that family sing professionally today. She also grew up during era of the big jazz bands - Ellington, Basie, Hampton, etc. She started a record collection; she was an excellent dancer. Later, she became a jazz buff. This is how Gloria and Harry met. There has always been music in their home and immediate family-from the various singing groups and bands that Jerome, Carl, Derek and Scott had as boys to now with two professional musicians; pianist, Corey and international drummer, Scott. Her natural gifts for empathy and wise counsel helped her be a confidant for many of her friends. These relationships continued throughout her life. Gloria was very kind and generous; helping others with money, food and clothes, even at such times when she could not really afford to provide the requested assistance. She was a life-long and loyal member of St. Peter Claver Church having been christened there at birth. All her sons were brought up in the Catholic faith. Gloria loved to travel. She saw a good portion of the world while traveling with Harry in his capacity as a representative for the United States on certain defense matters and later when he was chairman of the Baltimore Fire and Police Pension Board. She attended and was feted at official state concerts and dinners in Great Britain, France, The Hague, Korea, Sweden and China. On one of the trips to Japan she was detained (diplomatic house arrest) for entering that country without a visa. Within an hour she was tried, found guilty, then pardoned, and released in the custody of her husband. Those inscrutable Japanese! Fearless usually, Gloria admitted this time they scared the "Bejesus" out of her. She stayed very close to her husband the remainder of that trip. In recent years, her travel and social activities were significantly curtailed because of illness, but before that point she was very active in the Baltimore Kappa Silhouettes and a couples club, SCORE-Sociable Couples Organized for Relaxation and Entertainment. However, her health had often been challenged. First, a bout with tuberculosis in her twenties, later two major complex operations, and finally Parkinson's in her latter years. At each juncture the prognosis was "fatal within 3 to 5 years" but somehow she always managed to defy the odds and in at least three cases outlive the prognosticators. She leaves, not to mourn her death, but to honor and celebrate the memory of her life: her husband, Harry; mother-in-law, Katherine Lyons; sister-in-law, Alice Day; children, Jerome, Jeffrey, Gerald, Carl, Derek and Scott; stepdaughters, Angela and Katherine; daughters-in-law, Nona, Angela, Maria and Yolanda; grandchildren, Corey, Kelli, Courtney, Rodney, Jana, Ayesha, Gerald, Darrell, Larry, Kimberly and Erin Brooks; ten great-grandchildren and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, other relatives and friends. Two sons, Ronald Brooks and Guy Peaker, one grandson, Lamont Brooks, preceded her in their death as did her two brothers, Gerald and Vincent Day.

Tributes

Gloria B. Peaker

April 27, 1923 - August 28, 2005