Gloria Renz Wenzel, age 95, passed away peacefully Feb. 7, 2024, surrounded by many of her loving family.
Gloria was born March 25, 1928, in the Bronx, New York, and retained her “New Yawk” accent throughout her life, much to the merriment and occasional confusion of her children and many grandchildren. She was married to her beloved husband, Arnold (“Arnie”), for 59 years. Together they raised six children in Rumson where they spent summers on the beach practically from dawn-to-dusk with homemade sandwiches, Carvel ice cream on the way home, and nary a bottle of sunscreen in sight.
Aside from her innate sense of style, green thumb, love of bargain hunting, and great eye for a “find,” Gloria loved to travel and went all over the world, frequently visiting Italy, where Arnie was born, and where they spent happy times with family, friends and business associates.
She and Arnie loved finding and dining in great restaurants and would travel far and wide when they heard about a promising new one, their large brood usually in tow. They were the original foodies – before “foodies” was a thing – and their travel was often motivated by their restaurant quests, extending as far as Hong Kong to try a raved-about Cantonese dish.
After her kids were grown, Gloria joined Arnie in the family auto parts importing business, where she gleefully practiced her finely honed art of negotiating through her job as a buyer. Though in her later years she had to give up driving, she was quite the Speed Queen on the road, alternately delighting and terrifying her kids and their friends in the back seat and earning herself the title of “Ol’ Lead Foot” by Arnie (who was known, conversely, to back up cars for miles as he inched along at a snail’s pace, often to the horror of his kids who sometimes spotted their friends stuck in the back-up).
Gloria’s beauty, wit, humor and sparkling hazel eyes projected a warmth that made her many friends, often instantly. Above all else, her loyalty and devotion to her family was her hallmark and what, undoubtedly, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember her most fondly for as each and every one of them was made to feel special and loved by her. She will remain in all of their hearts as a most beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be missed immeasurably.
Gloria was predeceased by her wonderful husband Arnie and their daughter Heidi, and is survived by her children, Marc, Holly, Evette, Stacey (Jack) and Billie (Michael); her grandchildren Rebekka (Kyle), Owen, Colton (Jess), Beatrice, Sofie, Zach, Nicky, Cole (Kira), Alex, Chase, and Matt (Allie); and great-grandchildren Will, Ava, Charli and Luke.
This article originally appeared in the February 22 – 28, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
