January
05,
1926
05,
1926
April
29,
2020
29,
2020
Gloria Louise Williams was born on January 5, 1926 at City Hospital on what is now known as Roosevelt Island in New York City to James Edmond Williams from Barbuda, a carpenter by trade and Victoria OShaughnessy Williams form Antigua BWI. She was the sixth of seven children. Ceon, Bert, Madeline, Edmond, Alvin and the youngest, Carla lived with their parents James and Victoria on Sugar Hill,on 147th Street in Harlem New York before moving to 997 Union ave. in the Bronx, New York where Gloria attended primary school. She was a graduate of Morris High School in 1944.
Her parents were founders and ministers EL Bethel Pentecostal Church which was not far from where they lived on Intervale Ave. in the Bronx. The family was raised in the belief that the Holy Spirit was to always play a part in their lives.
In 1946, Gloria married Evan Emanuel Best, born in St. Thomas V.I. and raised in New York City. Evan was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, 369th infantry division. After being discharged from the service, he became a subway conductor for the
N.Y.
C. Transit System and later he worked as an automobile mechanic. Gloria and Evan had four children, Adrian, Anthony, Arnold and André. They lived in the Patterson Houses in the Bronx. Some years later, they would separate leaving Gloria to raise her four boys on her own but she was not alone. She still had the Holy Spirit by her side and in keeping with her faith and lots of prayer, she made sure her children were well fed, clothed and always attended Sunday School.
A few years went by until Gloria finally landed a job at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Social Security Payment Center in Queens, N.Y. where she became the department supervisor. She eventually moved to Flushing Queens where she became a member of the Free Gospel Assembly of God lead by Pastor
Modestino
DiSiena
aka Pastor
Tino
where Gloria served as deaconess in the church. She prepared the church bulletin and the child daycare center until she no longer was physically able but, she never stopped sharing her love for the Gospel of Jesus.
She loved her family and friends. She always had a great laugh and wise cracks (a Williams family trait). She was blunt with truth especially with her children but the most important thing in her life was the love she had for the word of God and the love of Jesus. On many occasions she would say, "You better get to know Jesus" or she would ask, "Do you know Jesus?" She even had a chance to see her son, André preach his first sermon at the Holy Nation Church in Flushing, N.Y.
Gloria must have felt a change in her health coming when she began putting her belongings in plastic bags and giving them away. She kept saying, "I'm getting out of here". In 2011, She was diagnosed with early onset Dementia which eventually took her from this life to life eternal. Even through the mental challenge in which she was engaged, her love for the Lord would shine through. She had at home attending aids with whom before leaving the house, Gloria would summon them over saying," Before you go, come pray with me".
Gloria Best is survived by her sons, Adrian, Anthony, Arnold and André, their wives
Ahmondylla
, Patricia, Antonetta and Janice, grandchildren
Dunia
Best Sinnreich,
Khalid
, Ahmed, Cherisse, Malik, Akil and Sukenya Best, Amishah Bell and Nicol Nigro and their spouses Aram, Raquel, Michelle, Mandi and Steve. She also leaves behind twelve great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins of the Williams and Best family.
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