She’s lived around the corner from me for years. Most mornings when I’m at my computer I see her walking her dog past my house.

But now I won’t anymore.

Like all of us Gloria is moving on. She’s getting old and must make arrangements for the rest of her life.

Gloria never held public office and never took a dime of taxpayer money. But what she gave back to the community could have paid off the national debt.

I don’t write this because Gloria was a friend of mine. I write this because Gloria epitomizes what a community member should be.

She always showed up. With a smile.

She didn’t care about arguing politics. She cared about arguing what she could do to help make an event successful or what she could do to promote Mesquite. Isn’t that what we want of all our people?

Gloria did it. Time and time again.

Often times her only argument was whether she should show up at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m.

At almost every event I covered as a reporter, when I looked around the room, I saw Gloria and Ann. But now I won’t anymore.

As I’m writing this, I hear Air Force jets flying over. It couldn’t be more poetic than to give Gloria an official fly-by send off.

I’ll miss you honey, but more importantly Mesquite will miss your smile.