Gladys Morgan Birmingham

Birth: Nov. 2, 1917 Philadelphia Neshoba County Mississippi, USA Death: Dec. 8, 2012 Key West Monroe County Florida, USA

GLADYS GARDNER MORGAN BIRMINGHAM went to be with her Lord on November 30, 2012, after a long illness. She was born on November 2, 1917, in Philadelphia, MS to Mark and Lois Gardner. Graduated high school in Marked Tree, AR, then left to live in CA.

She first trained as a cosmetologist in Torrance, CA. She took business courses at UCLA and after awhile owned several beauty salons and co-owned t he American Beauty College, a modeling agency in Long Beach, and the Gladys Morgan Cosmetics line of cosmetics which was sold in the United States and Europe. She also had a TV program showing the correct method of using cosmetics.

An innovative stylist and teacher, Gladys and her students won many hair styling competitions in the United States and abroad. She judged styling contests as well, notably in France and Greece, where she lived for a time.

Gladys loved boating and fishing. In CA she belonged to the Corsair Yacht Club in Long Beach. Retiring with her husband to Cudjoe Key, FL, she was elected Commodore of the Venture Out Boat Club, the first and only woman there to hold this position.

Gladys is survived by her devoted husband, James R. Birmingham of Cudjoe Key, FL, a sister, Louise (Bettye) Roest of Escondido, CA, three step-children, Betty Garcia, James Birmingham JR, and Reba Birmingham as well as a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers: George Gardner died in WWII on the beaches of Normandy and catfish farmer Mark "Pete" Gardner of Eudora, AR, who served on the USS Enterprise.

Visitation at Memphis Memorial Park, located at 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis Tennessee will be held on Friday, December 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. and a memorial service will take place on Saturday at 11:00 am.

Family links:

Parents:

 Mark Gardner (1896 - 1968)

 Eva Lois Barham Gardner (1892 - 1970)

Burial: Corinth Cemetery Darden Henderson County Tennessee, USA

Created by: Gardner Record added: Dec 09, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 101932327