Tenacious former commissioner 'one of a kind'

CLOVIS — Known for her tenacious devotion to the people of Clovis, former city commissioner Gloria Wicker would always stand up for the people and the ideas she believed in, according to those who worked closely with her.

Wicker, 86, passed away on Thursday.

A commissioner from 2000-2004, Wicker was instrumental in several important improvements to the city, including the construction of a swimming pool at O.G. Potter Memorial Park, according to local business woman and former Clovis mayor Gayla Brumfield.

"You knew exactly where she stood on a subject, and if she got something in her mind and wanted something to go a certain way, she never let it go. She was like a little bulldog to getting what she wanted done," said Brumfield. "Once you get to know her, you see that she loved Clovis, and she had such a big heart for our community."

Raymond Mondragon, who worked with Wicker during his time as Clovis city manager, remembered her dedication to passing an ordinance that helped curb the amount of litter in the city.

"One of the things that she was getting complaints from her constituents (about) is that when the trash truck came over to empty the dumpster, it would just throw paper everywhere," he said. "There was an introduction of an ordinance to have residents utilize more trash bags to throw their trash, to prevent trash getting around the community. I see that a lot. I know all my neighbors use trash bags."

According to Mondragon, Wicker was a fierce defender of Clovis and its residents.

"She cared about this community, she cared about the voters in her district, and she fought hard for them. She was a very kind-hearted woman. Tough — I've got to express that, because she was tough, and she was not shy about telling you what was on her mind," he said.

Lunell Winton, who served on the city commission with Wicker, remembered a competition between the male and female commissioners to see which team could gather the most garbage — a game her friend was determined to win.

"We all met at the public works building, where everybody gathered, and she showed up with her horse trailer and her pickup, and she says, 'I know where all the heavy trash is.' We take off, and she hires a couple of guys who were past inmates of the county jail to help us with the heavy stuff," Winton said. "We worked all day on West Seventh (Street), and did we ever pick up a lot of heavy trash. We pull in there with our monster load of trash, and we did win the prize. The male city commissioners were not just real happy with us."

Clovis Assistant City Manager Claire Burroughes remembered someone who was always abundantly clear about what she cared about and never shied away from explaining why.

"There was never any confusion on where Gloria stood on a subject. She was always very willing to share her thoughts and be very honest on where she stood on a subject, and I admired that trait in her," said Burroughes. "On a personal level, she was a very kind person, very loyal. She was one of a kind."