BELFAST – Gloria Frances (Boynton) Stover passed away July 26, 2011, in Belfast, after a long illness. She was born Sept. 15, 1921, the youngest child of Perley L. Boynton and Lottie M. (Towle) Boynton of Liberty.
Gloria attended Liberty schools and graduated valedictorian of her class at Walker High School in 1938. She then attended Gates Business College, Augusta, and looked forward to a career in business.
After marrying Henry C. Stover, in September 1940, she began as secretary for the law firm of L. Ernest Thornton and Hillard Buzzell, Belfast. Later, she worked at The National Silver Co., Taunton, Mass., while Henry served in the U.S. Army and was posted to Camp Miles Standish nearby. After Henry’s discharge from the Army, Gloria worked in the Belfast office of a government farm surplus agency. But her career experienced a lengthy hiatus due to motherhood – raising two sons and one nephew like her son.
She was pleased to return to the business world for a time as bookkeeper at Stover’s Jewelry, Belfast. And she, along with her husband, Henry, later became “professional volunteers” serving in various capacities including the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America and Cub Scouts. For more than 30 years, they attended the Internal Revenue Service training school each winter to qualify for VITA – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
She was predeceased by her parents; one sister, Golda E. Boynton; and three brothers, Lloyd Boynton, Lyman Boynton and Leon Boynton. She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Henry Stover; two sons, David B. Stover and wife, Lilo, of Waldo, and Daniel H. Stover and wife, Noreen, of Hampden; three nephews, Robert D. Stover Jr. and wife, Judy, of Belfast and Freedom, Barry Boynton, and Bruce Boynton and his wife, Lydia, of Pennsylvania; six grandchildren, Denise M. Golding of Eddington and People’s Republic of China, Nathan D. Stover and wife, Kelly, of Waldo, Ann-Jeanette Estabrook and husband, Kenneth, of Waldo, Michael D. Stover, Ian E. Stover, both of Waldo, and Jonathan Stover of Hampden; 10 great-grandchildren, Jeffrey, Joshua and Erika Golding, Adam Irvine, Victoria and Izac Stover, Shaylee and Aleah Estabrook, Tyler and Levi Stover; and one great-great-grandson, Ryker Golding.
Memorial services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave., Belfast. Those who wish may make donations in Gloria’s memory to Katahdin Area Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 1869, Bangor, ME 04402. Online condolences may be offered to the family at
www.ripostafh.com.