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Celebrating the life of Gloria Olderog Webb.
Agreed to by the Senate, January 15, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 19, 2026
WHEREAS, Gloria Olderog Webb, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a trailblazing public servant who was the first woman elected as mayor of Portsmouth, died on September 18, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Webb, affectionately known to family and friends as “Ace,” grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she graduated from Central High School; she continued her education at the University of Nebraska and subsequently earned a master's degree from Old Dominion University; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Webb met her husband, Tom, while working as a flight attendant for United Airlines and returned with him to his hometown of Portsmouth, where they raised their family and became active leaders in the community; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Webb served on the Portsmouth School Board for eight years and was a passionate advocate for school integration; desirous to be of further service to the community, she ran for and was elected to the Portsmouth City Council, on which she served for 16 years; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Webb made history as the first woman to serve as mayor of Portsmouth and worked diligently to support social justice and enhance the quality of life for all local residents; and
WHEREAS, one of Gloria Webb's proudest achievements was her work as cofounder of Help and Emergency Response, Inc., also known as the H.E.R. Shelter, through which she and six other women offered vital emergency services to victims of domestic abuse in the Tidewater area; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Webb often left her home in the middle of the night to escort women in need to the H.E.R. Shelter, demonstrating her compassion, bravery, and unwavering dedication to servant leadership; and
WHEREAS, predeceased by her husband, Tom, Gloria Webb will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her children, Wendy, Patricia, Tom, and Bob, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Gloria Olderog Webb, a respected public servant and highly admired member of the Portsmouth community; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Gloria Olderog Webb as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.