Glory Anna South

Long-time resident of the Santa Barbara community, Glory Anna South passed away on November 27. She was 99 years old. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Glory Anna was raised by her aunt and uncle, Anna and Charles Huber in Carmi, Illinois after the death of her mother when she was five years old. She met her husband, Victor, in Carmi and joined him in San Francisco where he was stationed during World War II. They were wed at the San Francisco Presidio Chapel and married for 55 years before his passing in 1998. In 1958, the couple moved with their young children to Santa Barbara where Glory Anna resided for the next 63 years, with short stints away in the 1970s in San Jose and Huntsville, Alabama for Victor’s work with the space program.

Glory Anna graduated from the Chillicothe Business College in 1941, and after raising her children, she served as a secretary at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara, and later as Deputy Public Administrator-Conservator for the County of Santa Barbara.

Glory Anna had a profound wanderlust, traveling to 60 countries in her lifetime as well as more than 45 states. She often recounted her adventures traveling with Victor on military “space available,” hitching rides with Senators and ending up in unexpected destinations. Glory Anna made her final trip at age 96.

An active member of the First Methodist Church of Santa Barbara for six decades, Glory Anna also enjoyed being part of the Santa Barbara Women’s Club after her retirement.

Glory Anna is survived by her children, Susan Goux (Tom) of Monument Beach, Massachusetts and Bob South of Ocean View, Hawaii. She loved and was loved by her three grandchildren, Carrie (Jonathan Spalter) Goux, Jason Goux, and Randy (Darshan) Goux, as well as her eight great-grandchildren, Kyla, Cassidy, Thomas, and Theo Goux, and Sage, Willa, Lael and Luc Spalter.

A memorial service is anticipated in the summer of 2022. Donations in her memory can be made to the memorial fund at the First United Methodist Church, 305 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.