Gloria Deloris Jessup

On May 9, 2021, Gloria Deloris Bueker Jessup, loving mother of five daughters, grandmother of 19, and great grandmother to 32, passed away at the age of 91. Gloria was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on September 16, 1929. She grew up on the Grand Prairie of Arkansas on a farm near Stuttgart. Her first job was as a soda jerk at a local Drug Store where she later helped fill prescriptions. After graduating from high school, she attended business college in Little Rock and then worked as a secretary at the Board of Education in Dewitt, Arkansas until her marriage in December 1948 to Joseph Jessup. They moved to Detroit, Michigan where she remained the rest of her life. Gloria, who was called ‘Glory’ by her father, liked flowers, working in the yard, playing the piano or organ and being with family. In her younger years, she volunteered at her daughters’ schools, and ran the church nursery and vacation bible school. She was active in the United Methodist Women in leadership roles at the local, district and conference levels for many years. She was a certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church as well, and volunteered at Joy Southfield Health Clinic (a ministry of Second Grace UMC). She was a member of Ford Memorial UMC in Detroit for 50 years, then Warren Valley UMC of Dearborn Heights and finally Good Shepherd UMC of Dearborn. Visiting the sick and dying, and fighting for justice for voiceless victims were also passions of hers. Gloria was not tall in stature but she was a strong and faithful servant of God. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Del Bueker, brothers Frank Bueker Jr. and Joe Bueker, sister Betty Wilson and husband Joseph Jessup. She is survived, and will be greatly missed by her 5 daughters: Becky (Clark) Warnock, Kay (Paul) Van Nest, Janet Jessup, Sally (Larry) Pepper , and Sherri (Abbas) Jessup, as well as 19 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and others, like Thelma Marshall who she loved like family. A private family service will be held in Maumee Ohio on May 12, 2021. In leiu of flowers, the family suggests donations to: Riverside Park Church of God Adult Day Ministries in Livonia, Mi or First Step Women's Domestic Violence Shelter, Plymouth, MI