Gloria June Henshaw Burleson
San Angelo - On October 1, 2021, Gloria June Henshaw Burleson, of San Angelo, joyfully went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ after a lengthy but courageous illness. She was 93.
Gloria was born in Smackover, Arkansas on May 15, 1928 to Langford William Henshaw and Laura Belle Baggett Henshaw. Gloria grew up in Kilgore, Texas during the Great Depression and WWII.
She graduated from Kilgore High School at 17 as a class favorite, being voted Best Citizen. She then attended Kilgore Junior College before earning her degree from North Texas State University at 20. She was a Major in the WROTC and was a groundbreaking member of the now world-famous high-kicking Kilgore Rangerettes.
After graduating, she landed her first teaching job at Eldorado High School in Eldorado, Texas, and married Billy Green of Eldorado in 1950. After her two sons, Bill and Tom, were born, the family moved to Sonora where she was a mother, homemaker and a substitute teacher. In 1967, following a divorce, she moved to San Angelo to re-launch her teaching career as a Sophomore English teacher at Central High School. In 1970, she married Sidney Jean (S.J., Jean) Burleson. Gloria taught at Central for 26 years.
Gloria loved learning and read daily until her passing. She seemed to always find a "silver lining" around every storm cloud—including her illness—and navigated life's most difficult seasons with faith and a generous heaping of humor and wit.
Survivors include: son David William (Bill) Green and wife Debbie Ray Green of San Antonio; son Thomas Franklin (Tom) Green, and wife Heidi Hooper Green, of Austin; 5 grandchildren, Cassie Green Woodliff, Jerrad Ray Green, Tyler Lee Green; Meagan Green Labunski, and Thomas Evan (Evan) Green; 7 great-grandchildren, Nathan Woodliff, Noah Green, Dolly Green, Lily Labunski, Jack Labunski, Henry Labunski, and Abigail Green. Gloria is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews and some wonderfully dear and loyal friends.
Gloria is preceded in passing by her husband Sidney Jean Burleson, parents Langford and Laura Belle Henshaw, sister Joan Anne Henshaw Warkentin, and brother Langford William (Buddy) Henshaw, Jr.
The family invites those who knew Gloria to read the expanded obituary on Harper's Funeral Home website, and to share memories of Gloria for the family's celebrations of her life.