Gloria Evans Dillenbeck Dodd, formerly a long time resident of New Jersey, died on February 11, 2023. Gloria was born in Jersey City, NJ and raised in Montclair, NJ. She attended The Kimberly School and graduated from Swarthmore College, where she captained both the varsity tennis and badminton teams, undefeated at the #1 singles position, and was 3-time Middle States Intercollegiate tennis champion. Her first marriage to Joseph B. Dillenbeck ended in divorce, and she married William “Bill” Holdrum Dodd in 1986 and thereafter moved to New Vernon, NJ.

Gloria spent a lifetime in sports. In tennis she achieved a top 15 USTA National Women’s ranking, and while raising her two daughters, was a two-time USTA National Senior Women’s (40+) champion. She won the American Platform Tennis Association National Champion three times (1971-1973) and later became the first APTA Executive Director. In that position (1975-1981) she organized teaching exhibitions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, while also promoting the growth of the game within the United States. In 1974, she wrote a chapter for Dick Squires’ book “The Complete Book of Platform Tennis”, which has become known as the “bible” of instruction.

Gloria has been inducted into the Montclair Kimberley Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, the Swarthmore College Athletic Hall of Fame, and the American Platform Tennis Hall of Fame. Before her marriage to William in 1986, Gloria became the Promotional Marketing Director for the New Jersey Devils NHL Team, creating and organizing the “Skate, Stick, and Shoot” competitive program for youth ice hockey players aged 7-17 throughout New Jersey at 26 indoor arenas. She sold sponsorship of the program to Coca-Cola USA, and later enlarged the program to include the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders, and the Hartford Whalers. She later retired from the Devils and became a sports marketing consultant for Coca-Cola USA.

Gloria’s current and former board memberships included: Montclair Kimberley Academy School, Swarthmore College Advisory Council, Swarthmore College Athletic Advisory Council, Family Service of Morris County, Historic Speedwell, and P.G. Chambers School. Her club memberships included Montclair Golf Club, Morristown Field Club, Morris County Golf Club, Nantucket Yacht Club, Nantucket Golf Club, and the Citrus Club of La Quinta.

Gloria is survived by her husband of 37 years, William Dodd; her two daughters, Deborah Turner of Virginia and Cynthia Chartrand of Pennsylvania; her four grandchildren, Ian Healy, Brendan Healy, Ashley Breakfield, and Clifford Breakfield; and her five great-grandchildren, four step-children, and eight step-grandchildren.