Gloria Alys (Maass) Dollahon

Gloria Alys “Glo” Dollahon (Maass) age 89, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2025 after a 9 year battle with dementia.

Gloria was born April 15, 1936 in Buffalo, NY.

Gloria was brought into this world by Albert and Helen Maass on April 15, 1936 in Buffalo, NY. There she was raised by her loving parents with her older brother Bob. She grew up on a farm and the main source of income was the produce and flowers they sold. Gloria had several grade school friends who she was to this day very close with. Gloria was a cheerleader at South Park High School where she graduated in 1953. After she graduated High School she attended the State College for Teachers in Buffalo, NY. Gloria married her children’s father Richard G Eakes in 1957 in Buffalo NY and they moved to Albuquerque NM for her husband’s job. They had three children, Greg, Guy and Helen who all were born in Albuquerque, NM. Gloria was a wonderful mother who always made it a point to be in her children’s lives, whether she was offering advice, or just always there for any question that would come up in our lives. She was always available for her children. Gloria loved her children very much.

Gloria lost her mother Helen in 1963 at a young age shortly after she had moved to New Mexico. She had moved across the country with no immediate family nearby. Her replacement “mother” was Arlene Brosman who was from Buffalo and “took “her in. She had a very special bond with the Brosman’s and especially Arlene’s daughter Lynn Brosman Romero who they shared many fun times together over the last 60 years. She divorced her children’s father and remarried in 1975 to the love of her life, Bill Dollahon. From there they would carry on a 50 year love affair that never ended, till death due us part. Anyone who knew this couple immediately got the sense that this was a love made in Heaven. Together they built their universe around each other.

Gloria had several jobs throughout her lifetime. One was working at the NM State Fair Grounds Racetrack working the horse betting window. She also worked as an assembler in a screw driver factory. She had a job working for a company called Earth Environmental Consultants which was right next door to the Pleasure Time Soda pop factory. Summertime she would take us kids there and the highlight was getting to buy that soda! Her most memorable job and her last before she retired was working as the Executive Secretary for Robert Wertheim who was the president of Charter Bank in Albuquerque, NM. During her time there she met many friends. As karma has it, Gloria spent her last days at the Robert Wertheim Hospice House that was built and named after her old boss. Gloria was a long standing member of the Sweet Adeline’s Enchantment Show Chorus in Albuquerque, NM. Not to anyone’s surprise, she developed many long time girlfriends she sang with. Gloria had a voice of an angel. Music was a big comfort to her and she created many memories in her children and Grand children by singing her silly songs while they traveled in a car. Her Granddaughters can tell you personal stories and even the words to many of these songs. Good Times. Great Memories.

Gloria was an animal lover especially dogs. At one time, they had four dogs. Large dogs who were spoiled rotten but that was just they way Gloria treated her dogs. Her last dog before she passed was a small curly black lap dog named Tippy. They also took care of her son’s dog after he passed and they loved that dog too! It was to no surprise that Gloria would carry around her “Comfort” stuffed dog toy named “Suzie” the last few years of her life.

Gloria and Bill loved to travel and since Bill retired from the USAF at age 45 they were able to do a lot of site seeing over the years. They had many trips back East to Buffalo to enjoy Gloria’s high school reunions, playing cards and just having fun. Gloria and Bill loved it when they had family or friends visit. Gloria and Bill visited Greg and their grandkids Hannah and Rachel in Bakersfield CA because her son had moved there after college. There were many trips to visit his daughter, Lisa and her kids, Audrey and Benjamin in CA and Chris and David in Las Cruces, NM

They enjoyed many years at their lake house in Elephant Butte, NM. Gloria’s kids, her grandkids and now great grandkids along with Bill’s son and daughter and their children each have some lake house memories. Gloria adored Bill’s Uncle, Henry. He owned the lake house and for years Gloria and Bill would spend time with him until he passed. From this time on, they were hooked on fishing. She loved to fish. They had many years, 50 +, fishing on the boat trolling or jigging for Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass or White Bass. There were many fish fry’s at the lake house, many Thanksgivings, many Easters and so much more. Gloria loved being a host. She always made you feel welcomed.

Gloria was an excellent cook who loved to feed everyone. If there was a tiny morsel of food left over she would secure it in her special little plastic container to use as her “offerings” to anyone to taste. Gloria’s hobbies included picking up every single aluminum can she would see!! She would make us stop the car just to pick up a used old aluminum can on the road. Her daughter Helen finally had to put a stop to her hunting adventures when she fell down an embankment at Elephant Butte and needed help getting out of the arroyo. She also was fondly known as the Tupperware Queen! Gloria grew up in the depression era so she saved everything. If you needed a container she had it with the lid! She loved being active as a younger women engaging in soft ball and was an excellent bowler who always beat her ex-husband, and we have the score sheets to prove it!!

Gloria was a tough cookie. She battled breast cancer, twice. She was an advocate for her health which is probably why she lived to 89. Unfortunately her brain suffered from the disease dementia and it slowly deteriorated her memories and her life.

Gloria loved to LOVE.

She had the sweetest smile, the greenest eyes and the most beautiful kindest soul. She shared herself selflessly to her family and friends. She is missed. She will never be forgotten. Her life was a blueprint for her children. Love big, live big. Be happy.

Gloria is survived by her husband of 50 years (6-20-1975) Ret. Lt. Col. William J Dollahon of Albuquerque NM.

She also leaves behind her son, Gregory Graham Eakes and his two daughters, Rachel Eakes Hairfield and Hanorah (Hannah) Eakes Shellgren from Bakersfield, CA, her daughter, Helen Louise Eakes Shingleton Gates and her husband Randy D Gates and their four children Kyle, Cody Shingleton, Connor Gates and Andrea Gates Brewer Dell from Albuquerque, NM.

Gloria’s two step-children, William Christian (Chris) Dollahon and his husband David Paul Dollahon from Oceanside, CA and their daughter Lindsey Dollahon and her husband Frank Bewley from San Diego CA, Elizabeth (Lisa) Bourland Dollahon DeVore from Tenkiller, OK and her daughter Audrey Pierce and her husband, and son Benjamin Devore are also included. Gloria has 9 grandchildren; Rachel, Hannah, Kyle, Cody, Connor, Andrea, Lindsey, Audrey and Ben. She had 8 great grandchildren; Hudson, Grant, Emmeline, Greyson, Evee, Terry, Libby & Navy.

Gloria is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Helen (Mattus) Maass and her brother Robert (Bob) Maass from Buffalo, NY and the recent loss of her son, Guy Albert Eakes (12-8-2020) age 58, from Albuquerque NM.

A celebration of Life will be held July 14, 2025 @ 10:00 am at Daniel’s Family Funeral and Cremation, 7601 Wyoming Blvd. Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87109 with a reception to follow.