Gloria Jean Tews

Gloria Jean (Spicka) Tews, known to many as Jean, Jeanie, Mom, Gloria or Grandma 'Glo', of Brunswick Ohio, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family Thursday, August 21st, 2025. Gloria has been received into the loving arms of her Father in Heaven and is now free from the pain and exhaustion of medical challenges that she had endured in recent years. She was 80 years old. Born November 9, 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio, Gloria attended Hoban Dominican High School and was an alum of the Class of 1962. After high school, she pursued a career in nursing, completing a three-year program at the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing and started working at Metro Hospital in 1965. Gloria's strong devotion to family took seed in these young adult years, balancing a new career while still living at home, helping to watch her younger siblings as her Mom worked two jobs. These experiences in helping to provide some of the 'extras' for her younger sisters and brothers established a foundation of giving that would resonate throughout her life. For the following 15 years, Gloria perfected her nursing skills and displayed the highest standard of compassion and care for others while working for Lutheran Hospitals, Metro Hospital, Charity Hospital and as an industrial nurse with Eaton Corp. She would often escape the woes of nursing work with jet-set trips to the sunny beaches of the Gulf Coast, where she enjoyed the sun and the sand and the sound of the waves washing ashore. Sometime in the late 1970's, she met the love of her life, Dave Tews, and it was not long before they were married in 1979. The next five years took the new couple through home ownership, the birth of their two boys, Tim and Chris, and moving to Brunswick, Ohio, where Gloria dug in her roots and blossomed. Gloria became involved in the community through various school and sports organizations, including the local bowling league, and even assisted in the leadership of the local Cub Scout Troop. Being raised as a ward of the Diocese of Cleveland for a period in her formative years, Gloria was a devout Catholic. She found a life-long calling of service through her local church parish of St. Ambrose where she taught PSR classes, made Renewal in 1987, and served as a Eucharistic Minister and helped deliver Holy Communion to the Home Bound. Gloria had long been known for her infectious and sometimes irreverent sense of humor. She loved to share a good laugh and learned early in her life that through the gift of laughter, she could build a connection with others. Gloria also had a fearless streak and would often seize any opportunity that life would present and was even cunning enough to manifest a few opportunities of her own. The true treasure of her life experiences was in her memories as she often declared that she lived her life with no regrets. It is truly in the spirit of living in this fashion that she was able to make so many lasting connections through her life. In 2005, Gloria ran for Mayor of Brunswick and narrowly lost to the 14-year incumbent candidate. And not long after that election, Gloria was introduced to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and joined in a cause that had grown very dear to her heart. The next 15 years were a 'labor of love' for Gloria and Dave as they took up leadership roles in the Medina County Chapter of NAMI Ohio. Through educating, empowering, supporting and advocating for families of loved ones suffering with mental illness, Gloria and Dave brought charity, love, compassion and light to the stigma of mental illness and the thousands of families it affects across the county. The core beliefs that Gloria held firm were her commitments to faith, family and service for others. She cared for her mother, Kathryn and provided a home where she could live the final years of her life in the loving presence of her family. Gloria would host family-style Sunday dinners almost every week, with an open invitation to all family and friends to attend, and many often did. She would never forget a birthday, and birthday cards filled with cheer were mailed or handed out weekly, sprinkling her joy and love everywhere they were opened. Gloria is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew Spicka Sr, and Kathryn (Pezel) McDougal; her sister, Rose Ann Koleski; and her nieces and nephew, Cathy, Paula and Peter. Surviving Gloria is her husband, David R Tews; her two boys, Tim and Chris; her brothers, Andrew Spicka and James McDougal; her sisters, Frankie Clancy, Diana Lesjak, and Patricia Jouriles; her nieces and nephews, Kaitlan, Joey, Jack, Beckie, Bridget, Danny, Tegan, Darlene, Natalie, Allison; and her dear grandchildren, Maximus, Mason, Madeline and Gavin. There will be a viewing at Waite Funeral Home in Brunswick on Friday, September 5, 2025 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Funeral Service will commence on Saturday September 6, 2025 at St. Ambrose Parish in Brunswick, with a one-hour viewing at 9 a.m. and a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Following these services, there will be a procession and burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brookpark, Ohio. Charitable donations in Gloria's name can be made to NAMI Ohio, at namiohio.org. Condolences and memories may be left for the family on Gloria's guestbook at www.WaiteFuneralHome.com.