Gloria E. Leo

ROTTERDAM JUNCTION – It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Gloria E. Leo, on Friday, October 24, 2025 at home with her loving family at her side.

Gloria was born July 7, 1927, to John and May (Larabee) Dawson. She grew up in West Glenville and Scotia, surrounded by farm animals, cats and dogs.

Gloria worked as a ticket clerk in the many theaters in Schenectady, while working in her sister Marion’s dress shop, Artists of Fashion. Working at Artists of Fashion honed her skills as a talented dress maker. She would continue as a seamstress throughout her life. And, along with her sister Helen, would enjoy making crafts for many local craft fairs.

While working as a ticket clerk, Gloria met Louis Leo. Three months later they were married and went on to raise a beautiful family. She created a loving home, inside and out, filled with good cooking, honesty and strength, and beautiful floral and vegetable gardens.

Gloria is predeceased by her husband, Louis Leo; sisters, Marion (William Christopher), Evelyn (Arthur Cusack) and Helen (John Mabee), a brother, Lawrence (Ruth); in-law’s, Arnold & Rose, and Salvatore

Gloria leaves behind her sons, Louis (Lynne), Anthony (Marlene) and Mark (Julie); daughters, Mary (Tim Cheetham), Lea (Robert Sandberg), Jeanine, Gloria (Edward Krupski) and Janette (Raphael Sebastian); sisters-in-law, Eilish, and Frances Leo; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and family by a dear friendship, Maryann and Alan Marshall.

Services will be held at 12:15 pm on Thursday at the Rossi & Ditoro Funeral Home, 501 Union Street. Interment will follow in St. John the Baptist Cemetery.

Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 9 am until the Service.

Memorial contributions may be made in Gloria’s memory to Smile Train at support.smiletrain.org, or Doctors without Borders at give.doctorswithoutborders.org.