Gloria L. Doino passed away peacefully at her home in Redding, Connecticut on September 23, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was 86 years old. Gloria was born in Manhattan, New York on August 29, 1938 to Carlos Canal and Lucia Mantilla Canal.

Gloria attended Saint Joan of Arc Elementary School in Jackson Heights, Queens then continued at Sacred Heart School in Bayside, and later, Convent of the Sacred Heart 91^st Street High School in Manhattan, where she graduated in 1956. It was at “91st Street” where she excelled at Drama Club and Dance, graduated with 15 classmates, became the longtime Class Correspondent, and won the Outstanding Alumna Award in 2011. She went to College of New Rochelle, where she majored in Speech and graduated with honors in 1960. She also received her Master of Arts in Speech and Drama from Hunter College in 1966.

In 1959, Gloria met her future husband, Westporter Bill Doino, via her sister-in-law Rosemarie Doino, her then college friend. Bill went on to become a tax lawyer, eventually running the Tax Department at New York’s Ernst and Young. They married on February 3, 1962 at Sacred Heart Church in Bayside, NY and had four children: Joyce, Bill Jr., Aline, and Lois, while living in Queens.

The family then settled in Port Washington, Long Island in the early 70s. After a 37-year marriage, Bill died at 61 in 1999. When living in Connecticut, he always “took the long way” home to purposely pass his hometown’s Compo Beach so Gloria could take in the view, and accompanied her at folk masses, as she enjoyed the music. In turn, Gloria faithfully attended years of Holy Cross College football games and tailgates at Bill’s side, as it was his favorite pastime.

Gloria began her career as a teacher working with special needs students while in Queens, then launched her own preschools in both Port Washington (“Play School”) and Mountain Lakes, New Jersey (YMCA Nursery School), where she and her family moved to 1974. In Mountain Lakes, Gloria also served on the Parish Council of Saint Catherine of Siena Church. In both Long Island and New Jersey she also ran a drama school out of her homes, called Curtain Call, employing Creative Dramatics — where the director leads the cast by prompting their lines — a technique she honed at Hunter.

An early entrepreneur and born entertainer, Gloria ran a birthday party company in New Jersey called “The Children’s Coach” at Boonton USA, a refurbished train station where the train cars became retail businesses. Gloria put on a puppet show for children with Pelham Puppets (British marionettes), then led them in the making of paper marionettes, followed by a triumphant parade. Through the 70s and 80s, she also had stints selling Carla Jordan Jewelry and shawls from Colombia, as her family of origin hailed from Bogota.

The Doinos moved for a third time, settling in Weston, CT where Gloria lived for 41 years, before moving to Redding in 2021. She worked as a bilingual speech teacher in the Bridgeport school system for seven years, then spent the following eleven at Newtown Middle School. It was at Newtown where she incorporated puppetry and drama into her speech pathology lessons and conducted a full-scale rendition of The Sound of Music with her special needs students — it was her swan song, before retiring. A cherished educator, she was a pioneer in adding creativity to all types of teaching, touching the lives of many students who called her “Mrs. D.”

Gloria, too, was an involved parishioner in Connecticut, first at Sacred Heart Church in Georgetown in a prayer group, and later at St. Francis of Assisi, where she won the Saint Augustine Award for unsung volunteerism in 2016. At St. Francis, she was also the Director of Adult Formation and Spiritual Education and a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) instructor. A dedicated lector for fifteen years, many came to the 11:00 am mass to hear her eloquent delivery of the Scripture.

In addition, Gloria directed the preschool’s Christmas Pageant and launched a bible study and book group with her dear gentleman friend, the late Dr. Thomas Hicks. Her favorite role at St. Francis — for which she may be remembered best — was running the church’s thrift store, the Grace Shop, where she created community among young and old, decorating the store seasonally, and selling religious items and other goods.

She was the Editor of The Association of Christian Therapist’s (ACT) newsletter for several years, and contributed to the St. Francis newsletter, covering parish happenings. Gloria, too, was a student of the Education for Parish Service (EPS) in Stamford, CT, where she took graduate level theology courses.

Gloria also ran programming for the preschool’s Parents’ Association — such as Advent & Lenten Traditions seminars, was the narrator at Breakfast with Saint Nick, and ran a 200-person Fairfield County-wide Seder, several years running. Gloria served on the town of Weston’s Ecumenical Committee, as she appreciated many faith traditions. She took comfort in all things spiritual, and her deepest friendships were fostered through her church ministries.

Among Gloria’s many delights were teaching, writing, theater, country music, doll and dollhouse collecting (she was a member of the Jenny Lind Doll Club), wind chimes, trips to the beach sporting a flowing Eileen Fisher garb and one of her signature Talbot’s wide-brimmed hats (evidenced by her flawless complexion), fashioning a Pesebre (nativity scene, the hundreds of stone figures from Colombia), gathering with her Colombian “Dream Team” friends, prayer groups, “Canal Day” family reunions with her side of the family, dance, and storytelling in all of its forms.

But her most prized passion was her family. A mother of four, grandmother of six, and great-grandmother of three, she was a proud matriarch and peaceful leader, whom the younger set called “Tita.” She directed home plays at the holidays, ever educated her own about the importance of inclusion and compassion, and was a “prayer hotline” for family and beyond. All were drawn to her infectious smile, boundless joy, and innate kindness. Her life’s motto was “Happiness is an inside job,” a concept she always modeled and passed along to her family at large. She too, encouraged all after accomplishments, citing the phrase, “You did good.” Her nickname was “Glo” and glow she did. In a word, she was effervescent.

The Doino family would like to thank Saint Francis of Assisi — her religious family — for providing home visits with Communion and prayer during her later years. Additional heartfelt gratitude goes out to all of her caregivers, drivers, and helpers of all sorts who were part of her team.

She is survived by two brothers and their spouses and other in-laws; Carlos Canal and Gay Vincent Canal, John Canal and Martha Canal, Jean and Zen Alexander, Consuelo Canal, and Rosemarie Doino. Her children and their spouses include: Joyce Sixsmith (née Doino) and Dan Sixsmith, Bill Doino, Jr., Aline Weiller (née Doino) and Mark Weiller, Lois De Ghenghi (née Doino) and Luigi De Ghenghi. Gloria’s grandchildren and great grandchildren include: DJ Sixsmith, Kayla Lombardo, Ellie Sixsmith, Molly Sixsmith, Michael Sixsmith, Amanda Sixsmith, Olivia Sixsmith, Grant Weiller, Cameron Weiller, Trevor De Ghenghi, and Alexandra De Ghenghi.

Calling hours for her Wake will take place on Monday, September 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and again from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Road East, Westport, CT. Online condolences can be scribed in an online guest book on their website.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 1 at 11:00 am at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 35 Norfield Road, Weston, CT. The funeral mass will also be live-streamed on the St. Francis of Assisi Weston YouTube channel. The burial will immediately follow the mass and take place at Assumption Cemetery, 73 Greens Farm Road, Westport, as will a Memorial Luncheon at Aspetuck Valley Country Club, 67 Old Redding Road, Weston. All are welcome to both.

Flowers are welcomed, as are memorial donations in Gloria Doino’s name to her beloved alma mater, Convent of the Sacred Heart, 91^st Street at cshnyc.org.