Mrs. Gloria Teresa Poole

Tallahassee- Gloria Teresa Poole passed away in her sleep and was pronounced dead on the morning of July 11, 2023. She was born Gloria Teresa Smart Wilson at Gorgas Hospital in the Republic of Panama seventy-five years earlier on January 28, 1948. Her parents were William Wilberford Smart and Lyli Leadorah Wilson Bogle. (Through her mother she is a direct descendant of Paul Bogle, the Morant Bay Rebellion leader in Jamaica in the late 1800’s.) She married her husband of 46 years, Haynes Potter Poole, on March 19, 1977 in the Balboa Heights Church of Christ, Balboa Heights, Panama Canal Zone during his second tour with the USArmy in the Panama Canal Zone. Together, they raised two children, Daniel Eduardo Poole and Tania Maria Poole. Daniel and his wife, Arwin Demaris (Lucardie) Poole have two children, Natalya and Nathanael. Tania died at age 41 of her afflictions without either spouse or children. Gloria Poole was the consummate educator. She began her professional teaching career at 18 when she graduated from El Liceo de Señoritas. She then began with her first teaching assignment on the Island of Otoque Orente off the Pacific Coast of Panama. Her means of transportation back to the mainland, shrimp boat every two weeks or so. She taught elementary school for more that seven years in the Republic of Panama. By going to school at night she received her Bachelors in Pedagogy and Masters of Pedagogy from the University of Panama. Then she met that American Soldier she married. During her first year here in Tallahassee, she took courses to validate her Panamanian education for Florida teacher certification and was recommended and accepted for a doctoral program at Florida State in Multilingual Multicultural Education. During her first trimester of studies, she gave birth to Daniel in the month of November and took her finals on time. Over the next several years, she completed a second Masters in Education Research Design and the Doctorate in Multilingual Multicultural Education. Here in Tallahassee, she taught for seven years at the Florida State University Developmental Research School, seven years as Elementary School Principal, and approximately 20 years at the College of Education, Florida A & M University. During her tenure at Florida A & M, she became a “teacher of teachers.” She developed the English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) educational strand and served as Director of ESOL until she retired at age 67. She entered as a graduate level Associate Professor and retired as full Professor. She served as Associate Dean of Accreditation for five of her years there. She was dedicated to teaching and “the kids” her entire life. She was “Siempre Maestra”, always the teacher.

Mrs. Gloria Teresa Poole

January 28, 1948 - July 11, 2023