Gloria Mae Rao

Published 12:00 am Sunday, September 4, 2022

Gloria Mae Rao, 86, of Snook, Texas, formerly of Jeanerette and New Iberia, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Graveside services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 25, 2022, at the Snook Cemetery Pavilion. Hospice Brazos Valley Chaplin Doug Tromblee presided over services.

Gloria Mae Barras was born in Jeanerette on November 25, 1935. She was raised by two loving parents John and Laura Silhavy, along with her dear grandparents, Joseph and Philomene Arton. 

Gloria met and then married on September 11, 1950, the love of her life, Louis Daniel Rao. She was a high school graduate and worked in jewelry and dress shops along with years at the Texas A&M Association of Former Students. Gloria loved to read and do word-find puzzles. She also enjoyed growing her ivies and other potted plants. Most of all she loved being a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and a wife as well.

Gloria is survived by her loving husband of 71 years, Louis Daniel Rao Sr.; five children, Laura Rao Thompson and husband Frank, Louis Daniel Rao Jr., Dale Rao and wife Jeanelle, Roxanne Rao Franks and Dana Yezak; ten grandchildren; seven grandchildren-in-law; fifteen great-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter-in-law; and one great-great-granddaughter.

She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Laura (Arton) Silhavy; her in-laws Ned and Lilly Mae Rao all of New Iberia and Eunice Domingue of Sulphur; a son-in-law Leslie Yezak; two grandsons, Jake Sandlin and Gary Pendleton; and two great-grandsons, Michael Franks and Zak Webb.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association, at their website, https://act.alz.org or to Hospice Brazos Valley, 502 W 26th St. Bryan, TX 77803.