Gloria Jean DeHaut

GLORIA JEAN DeHAUT

January 17, 1945 – October 9, 2019

                Gloria Jean DeHaut, age 74 of Park Rapids, MN, formerly of Bridgeton and Millville, NJ, peacefully entered the splendor of Heaven on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 in the comfort of her home while under the care of her family and St. Joseph’s Hospice as she was battling cancer.

                Gloria was born on January 17, 1945 in Bridgeton, NJ to Andrew Henry and Sophia (Kelly) Reiger.  She attended public schools in Bridgeton, graduating from the Bridgeton Memorial High School with the Class of 1963.  Gloria excelled in school and was elected to the National Honor Society.  As a young woman, she went on to attend Glassboro State College in Glassboro, New Jersey where she earned her B.A. in education. Gloria was united in marriage to David Joseph DeHaut in Millville on June 17, 1967.  This marriage was blessed with two children:  David Andrew and Nicole Marie.  Gloria began a fulfilling teaching career in Millville both in the public school district and later in the Parochial School, teaching English and social studies in the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades.  In 1979, they moved to Burnsville, MN where she began working as an editor for the T.V. Guide.  Following her work as an editor, Gloria went back to teaching and in1990 she began teaching in the GED program for the Lakeville School District.  In the summer of 1993, Gloria and David retired to a home on Little Mantrap Lake north of Park Rapids, MN.  She was a very active woman with many interests.  She was a devoted member of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Park Rapids where she served as an Eucharistic Minister, lector, was a member of the women’s guild and hosted an annual dinner at her home to collect Christmas toys for the Battered Women’s Shelter.  She also loved working in her gardens raising beautiful flowers and abundant vegetables each year.  Gloria also enjoyed raising goats and working in the woods alongside her husband cutting firewood with her own chainsaw which she proudly used.  She was an accomplished cook and baker and in her spare time she enjoyed hiking, kayaking, reading and sewing, motorcycling with her husband and spending time both on and in the waters of her beloved Little Mantrap Lake.  Gloria was a courageous woman who was up to meet almost any challenge.  She loved hot air ballooning, parasailing and jet skiing out 20 miles from the Coast of Mexico to a deserted island.  Years ago, she insisted that her husband, who was a commercial pilot, teach her how to fly, land and take off with their personal Piper Cherokee 4 place airplane in case her husband ever became debilitated while flying their family.  Gloria loved to travel and had especially enjoyed a recent trip to Hawaii where she visited all the islands with her husband.  For the last 15 years, she and David celebrated their anniversary each year at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.

                Gloria will be lovingly remembered by her husband, David DeHaut; her 97 year old mother, Sophia K. Rieger and her son, David A. DeHaut all of Park Rapids; MN and her daughter, Nicole M. DeHaut of St. Paul.

                She was preceded in death by her father, Andrew Rieger who died in 1967 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident and her brother, Ronald Rieger who died in 2016.

                Memorial services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the Trinity Episcopal/Presbyterian Church in Park Rapids with visitation beginning one hour prior to the service.  A luncheon will be hosted by the church family following the service.

To leave online condolences or to view the tribute video please visit www.jonespearson.com