Al Willard

Gloria Jean, Eternally Grateful Al Willard

Gloria Jean Hudson was placed in an orphanage along with her siblings at the young age of five years old. She, along with her siblings, remained there for three years until her mother returned from Anchorage, Alaska and regained custody of them. Gloria began to support herself as soon as she graduated high school. She was Miss Anchorage several years prior to meeting Al Willard. He was a divorced father of two young boys, whom he had sole custody of, and he was also eleven years her senior. Maybe not the most obvious choice for a beautiful, single young woman in her twenties yet the Lord had other plans. Gloria once told Al when they were dating, 'I could never love you as much as I love God.". And throughout their marriage, this proved to be true as most every morning she could be found in prayer in her closet. She also was devoted to reading God's word, as the worn and well-loved pages of her Bible could attest. Her life was unique and her devotion to God was a thing of beauty. In her years of pursuing and following Jesus, he showed her many things and used her in powerful ways. As Al watched her through the years, he prayed God would give him the wisdom, love and insight to love and lead her well. It was through this he began asking the question, "What was in God's heart when he made a woman?"