Gloria Capone Hutchinson of Port Orange, Fla., aged 85, formerly of Bangor, Maine, died on June 21, 2024. She was born in Plattsburgh, N.Y., Feb. 8th, 1939, the daughter of Frank I. Capone and Pearl Lamora Capone, lifelong residents of that northern NY city. A Plattsburgh High School, Class of 1957 graduate, Gloria attended Syracuse University School of Journalism on a full-tuition scholarship. She left after her freshman year to enter the Poor Claire Monastery in Roswell, N.M., where she remained 1 and 1/2 years without taking her religious vows.

Gloria later graduated magna cum laude from State University of N.Y. at Plattsburgh, majoring in English and elementary education. Several years later she returned to SUNY campus to complete a masters degree in Liberal studies.

In 1963, while working as Woman's Page Editor at the Plattsburgh Press-Republican, she married David Ian Hutchinson of Carthage, Maine, whom she met while he was stationed at Plattsburgh A.F.B. Their son, David L., was born the night after Christmas and became their joy.

Moving to Maine, Gloria served as director of religious education at St. Charles parish in Brunswick. She was also hired by William H. Sadlier Inc. as a freelance contributor to Catholic education texts. Her job with Sadlier expanded into a full-time commitment to writing, teaching, presenting workshops and retreats throughout New England and Canada. Gloria was asked by Franciscan Media to write a book about her pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, which began a full time career of authoring books focused on saints and other wisdom teachers. Gloria also edited multiple books for other well known authors including one on Saint Mother Teresa.

This original series broke new ground among Catholic publishers by including mentors like Black Elk, Lakota wise man; Sr. Thea Bowman, African-American teacher and faith witness; Gerard Manley Hopkins and Hildergard of Bingen, poets.

Gloria was one of the first laywoman in the Portland, Maine Diocese to present parish retreats, as well as retreats for religious women and priests. In 2003, Gloria received the Immaculate Conception Diocesan Service award from the Portland Diocese.

Gloria is survived by her husband Dave, her granddaughters Dr. Kirsten Blair and her husband Will of Fairbanks, Alaska; Jessica Danner Duffy and her husband Thomas Duffy of Dublin, Ireland; a brother, Dr. Gerry Joseph Capone of Hartford, N.Y.; a sister, Carole Presson and husband Wayne of Eureka, Calif.; a niece, Karen Hernandez and her daughter Marisa Hernandez as well as nephews, Calvin and Brian Presson.

In their later years, Dave and Gloria suffered the tragic loss of their son David on Nov. 6, 2012.

A memorial service will be announced later.