Gloria Faye Coen

Gloria Faye Poulsen, loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away on August 20, 2026 in Reno, NV at the age of 90 years old. A woman of extraordinary intelligence and beauty, she maintained her sharp wit until the very end, astonishing and entertaining her family, friends, caretakers and doctors.

Gloria was preceded in death by her granddaughter “little love” Lindsey Faye Poulsen and her chihuahua Leo, and is survived by sons Thomas Poulsen (Jill), Barton Poulsen (Jane), grandchildren Olive Schillo (Dan), Erik Poulsen (Nichole), Tyler Poulsen (Taylor) and four great-grandchildren.

She was born in San Francisco on September 7, 1935, to parents Thomas and Faye Hollister. After her parents divorced, she moved to Salt Lake City, where she dreamed of becoming a dancer until she grew too tall. Next came Idaho Falls where she fell in love with her high school sweetheart and eventual husband Boyd Poulsen. Ever the rebels, they eloped to Elko, Nevada where the local magistrate received permission with a phone call to her parents to marry her at the age of 17.

While Boyd was attending Idaho State University first Thomas and then Barton were born in Pocatello, Idaho. Toting three-year-old Thomas and two-month-old Barton to Madison, Wisconsin, the equally brilliant Boyd obtained his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences. Gloria, who won a contest flawlessly typing over 100 words a minute, put those skills to use hammering out Boyd’s thesis. Ready to start his illustrious career, his jobs first took the family to upper state New York and then Palo Alto, California where the boys grew up. In every home, Gloria would spend time at the piano, using her magical fingers to fill the air with classical music, most famously the dizzying and challenging “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rachmaninoff.

After divorcing Boyd, Gloria went back to college and obtained her Master’s in Industrial Psychology, receiving all A’s during her academic pursuit. During vacations she began travelling the world with her long-time fellow adventurer and rascal Lee Heath. Gloria retired early to extend her travels that included trips to Russia, Egypt, Cambodia and a two-month stint in Australia. Much to the anxiety of her family, they moved to San Carlos, Mexico for a life of tequilas and wave watching. The arrival of her first grandchild Olive, and shortly thereafter Lindsey Faye (girls!) put an end to that chapter, and she sprinted back to California to spoil her grandchildren. She became infamous for periodic confrontations with strangers during babysitting trips where any real or imagined slight to her dear grandchildren was met by a torrent of words even a sailor would admire. After Lee passed, she met and eventually married Richard Coen and moved to Santa Cruz, California near her beloved ocean. She followed her sons after they relocated to Reno, Nevada as the pull of family was too strong for even the ocean tides to hold her. After gleefully divorcing her irascible husband, Gloria spent her remaining days at Premier Residence close to her family and attending happy hour with her new friends. She had the heart of a lioness, conquering many health challenges fortified by her determination to remain with her family. She will always be an inspiration and in our hearts.