Gloria Katz

Gloria G. Katz of New York and Oakland, CA, formerly of Kingston, died Monday, December 25, 2017 at Summit Hospital in Oakland. Born in Vienna, Austria, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Leon & Josephine Gray. The family came to the USA, narrowly escaping the Nazi occupation they lived under. Dr. Gray was a well-known and much beloved physician in Kingston. Gloria attended Kingston High School and afterwards got her B.A from Syracuse University and her MA in early childhood education from Columbia Teachers College. She was a director of early Head Start Programs and later taught in J. Watson Bailey in Kingston while raising her children in the Kingston-Woodstock area. Gloria later moved down to NY City to become a court clerk at the Federal District Courthouse. She joined her daughter in California in the last few years of her life, where she began writing her memoirs about her childhood experiences in Europe. She was the center of attention and love in her daughters home and her greatest joy and pleasure was watching and helping her granddaughter grow into a beautiful young woman. Gloria loved books and reading. She was a gifted writer and sketch artist. Gloria was kind and generous and gentle, but could be a fearless warrior when it came to protecting others. She had a sharp wit and was known to be always upbeat and smiling in spite of a life with many challenges. Gloria was much beloved by many and will be sorely missed by her family and friends. Gloria is survived by her daughter, Naomi Katz of Oakland, CA and a grandchild, Maya Katz-Ali. In addition to her parents, Gloria was predeceased by a sister, Alice Gray and her son, Michael Katz, who passed away in 2010. A Funeral Service will take place at the Simpson-Gaus Funeral Home, 411 Albany Ave on Friday December 29, 2017 at 11:30 AM, with Cantor Robert Cohen of Congregation Emanuel, officiating. Interment will follow in Montrepose Cemetery. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jewish Family and Community Services - East Bay, Holocaust Survivor Program, 2484 Shattuck Ave, Suite 210, Berkeley, CA 94704. Online condolences may be left for the family of Gloria by visiting www.SimpsonGaus.com