Gloria Grace Berry Langdon was born in 1927, in Henryetta, Oklahoma, the daughter of Ted and Morna Jo Berry. Her father was a longtime pharmacist in Henryetta and owner of Berry Drug for many years. Gloria attended schools in Henryetta and graduated from Henryetta High School in 1944. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Oklahoma A&M in 1948 and was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. Upon graduation Gloria was hired to be the society editor of her hometown newspaper, the Henryetta Daily Freelance. Also new at the Freelance was Francis Langdon, a recent graduate of OU who had been hired as the newspaper’s advertising manager. Gloria and Francis fell in love and were married on June 19, 1949, in Henryetta, a marriage that lasted 54 wonderful years. In 1951, they purchased an interest in the Tonkawa News, a community newspaper they owned, edited and co-published for 42 years until retiring in 1993. The News was an award winning newspaper and Francis and Gloria each wrote personal interest columns each week. Gloria’s column, “A Letter From Home” was a community news report to a former Tonkawa resident. A highlight in her life was being named the National Mother Of The Year. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall Of Fame in 1999. Gloria loved her church and community and served each in many ways. She was a member and leader of the United Methodist Church in Tonkawa for 50 years and sang in her church choir. She also enjoyed singing and performing in a trio with friends. She taught the Builder’s Sunday School Class at the United Methodist Church in Tonkawa and served as chairman of the church’s Centennial Committee. She was a member of United Methodist Women, the Martha Circle, and was a home prayer group leader. She served on the Board of Regents of Northern Oklahoma College, including a year as president. Gloria was named Tonkawa’s Citizen Of The Year in 1987. She was a past president of Chapter S, P.E.O. Sisterhood, and an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Order Of Eastern Star, Tonkawa Historical Society, and the Tonkawa Centennial Committee.
