Gloria Joyce Scott, 87, of Springfield, MO passed away at her home on Sunday, April 7, 2024. She was born in Lebanon, MO on Wednesday, November 18, 1936 to Lois (Bollinger) and Clyde Keller.

Gloria graduated from Neosho High School. She became a registered nurse after completing the course of study at Burge Hospital School of Nursing and Drury College, after passing the Missouri State Board of Nursing licensing examination. Gloria received her undergraduate degree from Stephens College at Columbia, and a Master of Education degree, majoring in community health education, from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She also successfully completed all classes and testing for the Ed.D.

Professional experience was gained as the pediatric charge nurse at Burge; emergency department staff nurse and later medical-surgical head nurse at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, TN and medical head nurse at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, CA. After moving to Neosho in 1962, Gloria served in several capacities at Joplin's St. John's Regional Medical Center. She also worked in the recovery room as the head nurse and pursued advanced critical care training at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City, OK prior to setting up St. John's first Intensive Care-Coronary Care units in 1966. It was there that Gloria served as head nurse, code blue team leader and critical care staff instructor until 1970 when she was promoted to Director of Nursing Service. After a promotion to Director of Nursing Administration in 1972, she served in that capacity until retirement in 1976.

Gloria was a former member of the Omaha province Mercy Nursing Directors' Council, 5th District Nurses' Association, Jasper County Heart Association, Jasper County Humane Society, Audubon Society, Friends of the Library and Joplin Genealogical Society. After moving to Springfield in 2005, she became a member of Art and Soul at the Springfield Art Museum, Friends of the Library, working with the Wee Read program and foster mother with Route 66 Animal Rescue.

Some of Gloria's earlier interests included animals, environmental issues, genealogy, cooking, organic gardening, traveling, reading, ceramics, antique collecting, helping others and enjoying life. Even more importantly, she was able to define happiness as being in harmony with one's self and one's environment, as well as to actualize that definition. Gloria will be remembered for her independence, intellectual curiosity, generosity, great sense of humor and her close identification with Black Elk's quote, "Peace comes within the souls of men when they realize their oneness with the universe."

She was preceeded in death by her parents.

Gloria is survived by her daughter Suellen Douglas (husband Steven)  of Navarre, FL, one cousin Sherry Terry of Santa Clara, CA and two grandsons Joshua and Brett Holcomb.

Following cremation, she will be co-mingled with her dog Missy Woo and placed in her columbarium at the Rivermonte Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations can be made in Gloria's name to the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri, 3161 W. Norton Rd., Springfield, MO 65803. Online condolences can be made at www.klingnerfuneralhome.com