Obituary of Gloria Deutsch

Dr. Gloria Fay Deutsch, a Retired Teacher, passed away from the effects of ALS on Sunday night, February 22, 2015. She was 76 years old. Gloria was born in New York, New York. She was the daughter of the late Rita (Kaplan) and Morris Deutsch. She was a graduate of Roosevelt High School in the Bronx. She earned a Roosevelt Scholarship which enabled recipients to attend and study at the State University of New York at Albany, where she earned both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Chemistry. Gloria would later earn both her Doctorate at Brandeis University. She was a very well informed and knowledgeable individual who was extremely independent. She was a chemistry teacher at Sharon High School for 35 years, earning her the affectionate nickname of “Doc.&quote; She loved sharing her understanding of chemistry with students. It gave her so much gratification to open their eyes to all the sciences, especially the areas of biological and environmental chemistry to ensure students were informed on all things important to their world. Gloria's independence was matched by her quick wit and never ending humor, which were her companions to the end. Perhaps Gloria inherited her independence from her parents, who were the only family survivors of the Holocaust. She had a love of all animals, especially dogs, and learned to garden on the family farm in New York. Until this fall, she was growing her own vegetables in her home garden in Burlington. She was a firm believer in sustainability with an abiding respect for the environment. She was active in the Red Hats, the Burlington Current Events discussion group, the many activities and trips held by the Burlington Council on Aging, and the Alumni Association at SUNY Albany. She was a very charitable individual who supported local and national charities including civil rights, veterans, humane, environmental and Jewish philanthropic organizations. Gloria dealt with the effects of ALS with a strong will, and an amazing spirit in the face of much adversity. Funeral Services will be held at Temple Shalom Emeth, 16 Lexington St., Burlington on Wednesday, February 25 at 1:00 p.m. She will be buried alongside her parents in Hyde Park, New York, later in the week. Donations in Gloria’s name may be made to the Burlington Council on Aging, 61 Center St., Burlington, MA 01803 or Compassionate Care ALS, P.O. Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02574. Arrangements by the Sullivan Funeral Home. For directions, obituary and online guestbook see www.shalom-emeth.org or www.sullivanfuneralhome.net