Charles Glenn 1923-2016
Charles William Glenn, 92, died Friday morning, June 24, 2016, in his home in Lawrence.
He was born in Holton on Oct. 15, 1923, the only child of Carl G. Glenn and Clara Kaul Glenn.
After graduating from Holton High School in 1941, he attended Kansas State University. His education was interrupted as he served with the Merchant Marines during World War II. Merchant Marines were ineligible for the GI Bill, so he stayed home and custom farmed before he reunited with his beloved brothers at the Farmhouse Fraternity at K-State and completed Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degrees.
He married Dixie Dove Glenn and had two children, Grant (Donna Reynolds) and Jennifer (Larry Hoyle), both of Lawrence. After Dixie died in 2000, he married Normagene Addington, who survives in the home. Education was important to Charles, and he made certain his children had his encouragement and financial support to attain their degrees.
During his career he worked as an economist for the USDA, Midwest Research Institute and Butler Manufacturing.
He farmed his family farm near Holton until recent years, where he enjoyed driving the old Allis-Chalmers tractors that he had purchased in the 1940s to do custom farming. His father and grandfather had been carpenters and he was skilled enough to build a home west of the Plaza with his own hands and a little help from some professionals.
Charles was active in the Kansas City community, having been president of the Shawnee Mission Sertoma Club, the Shawnee Mission Indian Historical Society and most of all in his church, where he was a licensed lay reader.
Charles loved people, and was a very special and humble person. He made it his mission when he met someone new to find out if they had any friends or relatives from his hometown. He greatly loved his family and would ride the rides at Worlds of Fun with his grandchildren, even after he was well into his 70s.
He was especially proud of not only his children but his surviving grandchildren, Alexander (Heather), Charles (Melanie), Margaret Glenn and Emma Hoyle. He is also survived by his seven great-grandchildren, Abby, Ellie, Sydney, Caroline, Amelia, Ollie and Noah. He was a wonderful role model for his family as he spent quality time with his children and grandchildren that they will never forget.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church in Mission. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made in honor of Charles to the KU Endowment, Dixie Glenn Scholarship Fund.
(PAID OBITUARY)
