Gloria Amanda Minch

passed away on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at The Messenger House on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She was born on March 28, 1930 in Bremerton, Washington. She was 81 year of age.While growing up in Bremerton as a young girl, Gloria used to spend all her free time at the Ringness family farm on Central Valley Road. Her favorite job on the farm was the chickens. She loved those chickens so much that she once set them free! All 1,000 of them!After attending Olympic College, she met and married her sweetheart, Henry Minch, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in 1952. Henry and Gloria's life journey took them to many remote and wilderness locations such as Newhalem, WA and Mica Creek, British Columbia, Canada. Gloria knew she was marrying a fisherman, but this she never expected. She learned to live in 40 feet of snow for 8 months a year, cougars in her garbage cans, bears outside her windows and driving 100 miles to go to the "local" grocery store. She did all this while raising their three daughters, Gina and twins Kristine and Heidi.When Henry decided to retire, they returned to Washington state to live on Hood Canal in Belfair. They then returned to live in Bremerton, WA not far from the family farm on Central Valley Road! The circle was finally completed.Moving often and with such long distance between locations, Gloria learned to be very adapting and versatile. She was employed as a secretary, a buyer for a manufacturing firm, a bank teller and was in retail sales. She did volunteer work for non-profits, the Mica Creek newspaper, and was a Brownie, Girl Scout and Girl Guide (Canada) leader. One of the great joys of Gloria's life was when she became a grandmother and great grandmother. Always wanting a boy and not having one, Gloria and Henry were blessed when they became grandparents. Gina has two children�Alexander and Katherine (Kate). Katherine has one son, Aidan (15 months). Kristine has one son, Brian and Heidi has two sons, Kurt and Grant. Henry passed away in July of 2008, but Gloria and Henry enjoyed 57 years of marriage together. Gloria was also preceded in death by her sister Irene Anderson.Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Memorial Service at Our Savior s Lutheran Church in Bremerton, WA at 11am on Saturday, March 31, 2012. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society. Please sign the online Guest Book for the family.The family would like to thank the staffs of Messenger House and Clearbrook for the wonderful care Gloria received.