Gwendolyn Lucile Rota, 83, succumbed to complications related to COVID-19 on Sunday, April 5, 2020.

Gwen was born in Pittsburgh, PA, July 22, 1936. She was married upon her high school graduation, and in 1969, she, her husband and four children moved to Lewisburg, TN where they joined the parish of St. John Catholic Church. Her outgoing personality, strong sense of fashion and salesmanship led her and her husband to open the women’s clothing store, Towne & Country Boutique (1972 – 1978). During this time, Gwen was an involved member of the local business community and participated on several committees, one being the planning of a new public library.

In 1980, Gwen moved to Nashville and pursued her career in retail management at The Davis Shop and Nashville Trunk and Bag. Her love of cake decorating along with her retail experience led her to a bakery position in one of Nashville’s leading grocery chains. During these years she enjoyed creative freedom and fulfillment from making her customers happy. In 1999, she retired from cake decorating and moved to Maryland to live with her sister. She spent the following seventeen years in Maryland enjoying crafting, bridge, casinos, traveling and spending time with her family. In 2016, she moved back to Tennessee to live with her daughter in Gallatin, TN and for the past six months had been a resident at the Gallatin Rehabilitation Center.

Gwen is preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Elanor Lucerne and daughter Anitra Rota. She is survived by her devoted daughters and caregivers Renae Rota, Debora (Michael) Ward, Lisa (Scott Bonner) Rota and son Chuck (Candi) Rota. Surviving grandchildren are Amber Langford, Jason (Natasha) Montgomery, Dominic Rota and Gabrielle Rota and she had the love of four great-grandchildren. She is survived by her two sisters, Georgine Spisak and Kathleen Rich, as well as the following cherished nieces and nephews, David (Lahoma Allen) Spisak, Mark (Carol) Spisak, Craig (Tara Scully) Spisak and Gina Prizzi.

There will be no memorial service at this time. Once it is safe to be together again, a Celebration of Life will be held for family and close friends. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. http://giftfunds.stjude.org/Gwen_Rota or 1-800-822-6344.

The family would like to extend their thanks to Sumner RMC staff and their heartfelt gratitude to Nurse Katie Brock for her kindness and compassion.