Gloria Belle Whaley

Gloria Belle Tolley Whaley, 91, of East New Market, Maryland, passed away on June 23, 2025 at Autumn Lake Healthcare at Chesapeake Woods. She was born on October 3, 1933, in Fishing Creek, Maryland, to the late George Herbert Tolley and Mary Simmons Tolley.

At a young age, she started picking crabs at Phillips Seafood Packing House in Hooper’s Island to support her family. She graduated from Hooper's Island High School in 1952 and married Burton Whaley of Seaford, Delaware, on December 20, 1952. They met when Burton was stationed as a Lighthouse Keeper at Hooper's Island Light Station with the U.S. Coast Guard and bought their first home in Hooper’s Island and soon thereafter bought their second home in Cambridge, MD. In addition to being a devoted homemaker, Gloria worked at Dayton’s Restaurant and the C&P Telephone Office and later, she and Burton ran Whaley's Flying-A Service Station while establishing his Sign Painting business, Whaley’s Sign Shop. They later built a Garage at their Cambridge home, where Burton was self-employed at Whaley’s Sign Shop. Gloria went to work at Airpax Electronics in 1974 about the same time Burton started experiencing Heart Problems. They moved to Sunrise, Florida at the advice of Burton’s doctor and Gloria transferred to Airpax there, while Burton continued his sign painting career with Able Signs. After 8 years in Florida, they moved back to Maryland and bought a home at Heritage Mobile Home Park in East New Market, MD. Gloria continued her career at Airpax while Burton joined the Computer world and began creating Computer generated Vinyl Signs continuing Whaley's Sign Shop, working out of their home in East New Market. Gloria retired from Airpax Electronics in 1998 with 25 years of service. She was known for her dedication to family and friends, sending many greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, and get well wishes. Gloria was actively involved in the community as a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, the Elks Club, and the American Legion. She also was a devout volunteer at Robin Hood Thrift Shop in Cambridge, MD.

She is survived by two daughters, Mary Kaufmann (Michael Rose) of East New Market, MD and Robin Dulaney (late husband, Michael Dulaney) of Daytona Beach Shores, FL, a son, Burton Scott Whaley (Lawrenda Whaley) of Felton, DE, a granddaughter, Alana Wilcoxson (Ben Wilcoxson) of Austin, TX and a grandson, Lance Jasper of Ft. Worth, TX. Besides her parents and her husband, Gloria is preceded in death by two twin brothers George & Donald Tolley.

Pallbearers will be Fred Redmer, Michael Rose, Dennis Whaley, Doug Whaley, Carl Hughes & Burton Scott Whaley.

Two visitation services will be held on July 1, 2025 at 2-4pm and 7-9pm at Newcomb and Collins Funeral Home, 308 High Street, Cambridge, MD. A funeral service will be held on July 2, 2025 at Noon, preceded by a visitation at 11am at Zion United Methodist Church, 612 Locust Street in Cambridge with Pastor Tonya McClain & Rev. Dale Brown officiating. Interment will follow at The Maryland Veterans Cemetery, 6827 East New Market Ellwood Road in Hurlock. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 205 MD Avenue, Cambridge, MD 21613.