Gloria Holtschneider, 79, of Austintiown, and a resident of Brookdale Austintown celebrated Mothers Day with her family which includes six children 17 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren,, From tow, Tammy Shoaff, Gloria Holtschneider, Tina McNevin, Back row, Danielle Shaw, Jackie Hartzell, Breanna Dunmire and Connie Dunmire,

AUSTINTOWN — Gloria Holtschneider is a special matriarch to a large family who came together and recognized her on Mother’s Day.

Holtschneider, 79, a resident of Brookdale Austintown senior living community, has six children, 17 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Several of her family members joined her Sunday for a Mother’s Day brunch.

Holtschneider said she has been blessed with five daughters and a son and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The four daughters,Tina McNevin, Jackie Hartzell and Connie Dunmire, all of Austintown, and Tammy Shoaff of Greenville, Pa., along with two granddaughters, Danielle Shaw of Cortland and Breanna Dunmire of Austintown. joined Holtschneider for Mother’s Day.

“She has a big family who love her. As many of us who could be here came today. It’s a blessing for all of us to be with her for Mother’s Day,” McNevin said.

“I love them all,” Holtschneider said.

McNevin said their mother and father, John, who is deceased, were wonderful parents and grandparents.

After her husband died two years ago after more than 60 years of marriage, Holtschneider moved into Brookdale Austintown last June.

“We wanted to be together here as a family to celebrate mom for Mother’s Day,” McNevin said.

The sisters said their mother loved all of them as they grew up and was supportive in so many ways.

“She supported us for what we did with our lives,” McNevin said.

The sisters are all moms themselves so they understand the importance of thanking and showing appreciation to moms on Mother’s Day.

“It is awesome to be able to sit with her and visit and celebrate her,” said Shaw of spending time with her grandmother.

Breanna Dunmire said her grandmother is an amazing person.

Holtschneider said she and her husband enjoyed their time together as parents to six children.

“She loved the babies and taking care of her children,” McNevin said, noting her mother was a stay-at-home mom.

“As moms, we appreciate all our mom did for us as we grew up,” she said.

McNevin said she and her sister, Tammy Shoaff, were born and raised in Oakland, Maryland, where the family lived until they moved to Austintown in the late1960s where the rest of the siblings were born.

The family is planning for a special event in July when Holtschneider will turn 80. McNevin said as the oldest child of six, her mother was 19 when she had her.

Holtschneider said she enjoys listening to the music played for the residents at the senior living community.

The family said Holtschneider said their mom would sing loudly in the morning to wake them up and many traditions she created for the family.

The advice Holtschneider has for mothers is “Smile and enjoy the moment.”

bcoupland@tribtoday.com

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