Gloria Priscilla Lascha, age 93, of Cocoa Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2026, in the presence of her daughter Patty and while video conferencing with her son Michael.

Gloria was born on December 3, 1932, in Danvers, Massachusetts, to Joseph and Sophie Nowak. She grew up in Peabody, Massachusetts, and was raised by her grandparents, Julian and Laura Kopystecki. She had one sister, Virginia “Ginny” Tomkins.

Gloria married John “Jack” T. Lascha Jr. in 1952, beginning a remarkable partnership that would span 71 years until Jack’s passing in early 2024. Together they raised five children, Rosemary, John III, Michael, Patricia, and Jeanne, and built a life filled with family, hard work, creativity, and more than a few adventures.

After marrying, Gloria and Jack eventually settled on Cape Cod, where they raised their growing family. Throughout those years, Gloria was Jack’s partner not only at home but also in the many family businesses they pursued together. Whether creating ceramic giftware, operating gift shops, or helping with the family boat rental business, Gloria was always there, quietly doing whatever needed to be done while raising five children.

In 1970, Gloria and Jack moved their family from Massachusetts to Florida and began perhaps their biggest adventure. Together they founded the Musicana dinner theatres, which they operated for more than 25 years. The theatres became a true family enterprise and brought generations of talented college students to Florida to perform Broadway-style musical revues.

To those young performers, Gloria offered something that couldn’t be found on a stage. She made them feel at home. Many were far from their own families, particularly during the holidays, and Gloria made sure they had a place where they belonged. It reflected something she said often and, more importantly, lived by: “People are more important than things.”

Gloria was quiet by nature. She didn’t need to be the center of attention and was far more likely to listen than to speak. She was a very good listener, and when she did have something to say, it was often simple and to the point. There was her familiar “Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda,” a reminder that there wasn’t much use dwelling on what might have been.

Above all, Gloria loved her family. She wanted her children to get along and believed deeply in the importance of family harmony. As a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she was kind and patient. Her family will especially remember she was the glue that held the family together.

Gloria loved Florida and the warmth and sunshine that came with it. In her later years, she was content in her riverfront condominium, enjoying some of life’s simplest pleasures: a good book, a baseball game, time with family, and watching the sun set over the water.

Gloria is survived by her children, Rosemary Lascha Messina, John T. Lascha III, Michael Lascha, and Patricia Lascha; her 5 grandchildren, Joey, Megan, Emily, Tim, Kit; her 3 great-grandchildren: Jaxon, Marley and Emerson. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Tina Lascha and her sons-in-law Mark Zarraonondia and Michael Messina.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 71 years, John “Jack” T. Lascha Jr.; her daughter, Jeanne Lascha Ryan; her sister, Virginia “Ginny” Tomkins; and her grandson, Michael Ryan.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 7th, 2026, at 1:30pm in the chapel at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Indialantic Florida. Burial will follow the service in the memorial gardens of Holy Name of Jesus. Reception immediately following at the Irene Canova Beach Park community building in Indian Harbour Beach, FL.

Gloria leaves behind more than the story of a long life. She leaves life lesson that seems particularly worth holding onto: listen more than you speak, don’t spend too much time on the shoulda-woulda-couldas, try to get along with one another, and never forget that people are more important than things.

Those were simple words, but Gloria lived them for 93 years. And that may be the best legacy of all.