Gloria Feldman loved to run, hike and go above and beyond with anything she did.
When it came to running, she completed several marathons, said her husband, Richard Feldman.
And in her work as an occupational therapist at Emory Eastside Medical Center in Snellville, Mrs. Feldman hardly ever took lunch breaks and often performed tasks that did not fall under her job description. She helped nurses and others with duties many would find "dirty" such as changing bed pans, her husband said.
"She was a really dedicated worker," he said. "She loved helping people."
Gloria LaRussa Feldman, 40, of Grayson died Friday. Services will be at 3 p.m. central time Wednesday at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Homewood, Ala. Memorial donations may be made to the Gloria LaRussa Feldman Children's Fund through Region's Bank. Tim Stewart Funeral Home in Lawrenceville is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Birmingham, Mrs. Feldman attended Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church as a child as well as Our Lady of Sorrows Elementary School and John Carroll High School.
She graduated from Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
"She was wonderful, always pleasant, always upbeat, always encouraging," said Phyllis Denton, director of rehabilitation at Eastside Medical Center. "She could always be counted on to help you if you needed help. We are all really sad and we are going to miss her a lot."
Mrs. Feldman, the mother of two girls, was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Grayson. She volunteered for vacation Bible school and taught Sunday school to children of all ages.
Mr. Feldman said he could not think of anyone who did not like his wife. "She was a very humble person."
Besides exercising and reading, Mrs. Feldman enjoyed doing crafts with her children and traveling. The family often would take vacations to the beach and hike the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.
"Driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, going to different zoos, training for marathons and runs, a trip to Toronto and other places, and watching family movies with the children are some of my best memories," Mr. Feldman said.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Feldman is survived by two daughters, Veronica Feldman and Elaina "Lainey" Feldman of Grayson; her mother, Mary Ann LaRussa of Birmingham; and two sisters, Teresa Boackle and Mrs. Feldman’s twin, Ann Pfaffman, and two brothers, Paul LaRussa and Frank LaRussa, all of Birmingham.
About the Author
