Gloria Hatch Taber (nee Gloria Hatch y Agramonte ), 94, of Clermont, Ga., passed away peacefully of natural causes on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Born June 17, 1924 in Camaguey, Cuba.

Gloria was the daughter of the late Ralph Douglass Hatch and Guillermina "Ina" Hatch (nee Guillermina Agramonte y Rodriguez). Gloria's father served in WWI and after being discharged from the Royal Air Force - Canada left for Cuba. He spent the next forty years there, working for the Royal Bank of Canada as a bank manager in Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba and later in Havana as a supervisor. Gloria and her sister, Winifred Rose "Winnie", British citizens by birth, (they both had 3 mother tongues- English, French and Spanish), traveled to Ottawa, Canada for their school years at Notre Dame Convent. One youthful year she presented flowers to Princess Elizabeth and Princess Mary when the royals visited Ottawa.

Mrs. Taber met her first husband, Ralph Mitchell, a US Navy attaché to the Embassy in Havana during WWII. They moved to the US, where she had two sons, Ralph and Kent. She later married (57 years) the love of her life, Richard "Dick" Granite Taber, a distinguished fighter pilot who served aboard the USS Enterprise in WWII. Together they had two children, Rock and Maria-Noelle.

Most of Gloria's years were spent caring for her children in Houston, Baltimore, Knoxville, Greenville, Havana, Atlanta, Sarasota and Clermont. She worked for Delta Airlines in Havana and Atlanta and for The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, and eventually moved to Sarasota where her younger children finished school. The next move brought them to Clermont, Georgia, where Gloria and Dick began a new chapter with raising Belted Galloway cattle. Gloria was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Clermont.

Gloria had a passionate love for antique dolls and became a national expert and judge and was very active in the United Doll Clubs of America as well as local clubs. She shared the stories and charm of her dolls with children whenever possible. Gloria also volunteered in Myers Elementary school where Maria taught, reading books and telling stories in both English and Spanish.

Gloria was foremost a very loving wife and mother, enjoyed her family around her and loved hosting family get-togethers. Her family, those close and those far away, were very dear to her.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Taber was preceded in death by her husband Dick, her daughter, Maria-Noelle Taber, and her sister, Winifred Hatch Coterillo.

Mrs. Taber is survived by her brother Edwin R. Hatch (Sylvia), her three sons, Ralph J. Mitchell III (Martha), Winchester, VA, Kent D. Mitchell (Marilyn) Atlanta, Rock G. Taber II (Cathy) Alpharetta, her 6 grandchildren, Ashley (Bryan Lutz), Andy (Carrie), Douglass, Will, Michael, Hilary (Walker Rollins), her 5 great grandchildren, Hannah (Corey Forer), Madison, Alexis, Ellie and Mandy, and her many nieces and nephews.

The family is so very thankful for the loving help from the staff at Morningside of Gainesville, Kindred Hospice of Gainesville, and Gloria's friends, neighbors, and caregivers. Her last years were filled with special caregivers who visited, spent nights, primped her, brought food, and loved Gloria very much.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 15th, 2019, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5622 Clark's Bridge Road, Clermont, GA 30527. Rev. Brian Funderburke will officiate. Following the service the family will receive visitors at a small reception in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations can be made to: Trinity United Methodist Church at the above address or www.trinityclermont.org.