In John Thaddeus Garner’s fashion, he clocked out at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2020, continuing his career goal of always finishing his work on Friday by 5:00. We may have lost one of the most remarkable, smart, humorous, and humble people, but his story is not a sad one.

Born on October 11, 1971 in Wiesbaden, Germany, John was a proud University of South Carolina Gamecock where he played in the marching band and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in geophysics. John previously worked as the Manager of Operations at Flint Energies. He never felt the need for praise or ownership of his accomplishments even though he was a brilliant man in so many aspects.

In the 90s, John met his wife, Tracey, on a blind date set up by their brothers. He married her on April 25, 1998, and together they lived a fulfilling life with two sons. His personality was one that allowed him to easily communicate with anyone he met. People were drawn to John as he had the instinctive ability to get others to talk with one another and knew how to bring out the “tech talent” in anyone. He could easily teach others without making them feel inferior. This was one of the greatest traits he had in his career and in life.

John was diagnosed with Gliomitosis Cerebri, an extremely rare brain tumor, which is fitting for the rare greatness and uniqueness that naturally radiated from him. He spent a lot of time at The Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Hospital participating in research studies for his cancer; he was number 16 on the “Resist” study for a particular form of dermal process to treat the disease. John was grateful for the opportunity to donate his body to Duke in order to help further the study and to continue helping others even after his death.

John could find humor in anything, even his diagnosis. Memories of him will bring belly laughter and tears to your eyes, as he brought so much joy and glee. He will be remembered as the coolest, neatest guy and he was the kind of person who never complained about pain. Going through this situation was not about the pain, but about taking in every moment. John’s diagnosis was one of the best things because it changed how he and his family lived their lives and encouraged them to take in every second of life. John was sure to leave a lasting impression on everyone he met, especially his two sons who also share his humor. He lived life to the fullest doing more in his 48 years than most do in 100. He was an inspiration to his wife and children encouraging them to make the most of life. Though there is grief and sadness, there is also so much happiness and pure joy from knowing John and having been a part of his life.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife and best friend of 22 years, Tracey Ruth Garner; sons, Joshua and Jonathan Garner; parents, Lt. Col. John “Tim” Garner, USAF (Ret.) and Linda Breeden Garner; brother, Tedd Garner (Anne); parents-in-law, James R. and Carole Bloodworth; brother-and-sister-in-law, James “Jim” and Betsy Bloodworth; and nieces and nephews, Mason and Kate Garner, and Laura, Jay, and Ben Bloodworth.

At the family’s request, all services will be private.

John’s family would like to express their infinite gratitude to The Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Hospital, Pruitt Health Hospice, and John’s Flint Energies family for the amazing care and support given to John and his family over the years.

Dr. John Pretz Boyd passed away May 22, 2020 at Harrison’s Crossing. He was born September 22, 1944 in Kansas City, Missouri, to Verne Wendell and Nellie Pretz Boyd.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and wife of 47 years DeeAnn Boyd (dec. May 30, 2015).

John graduated from Manhattan High School (KS). He received a bachelor of music education and master’s of music from Northwestern University (IL) and a doctorate of musical arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  His major studying was with John Paynter, Bernard Rubenstein, and Crawford Gates.

He taught at Northern Illinois University, Wichita State University, Kent State University, the University of Arizona, and Indiana State University.  At ISU he was director of bands, professor of music, and coordinator of the wind/percussion division for 21 years, retiring in 2010 professor emeritus.

His bands performed at numerous state, regional, and national MENC conferences. His wind ensemble toured Tajimi, Japan, in 2001 as a cultural exchange with Terre Haute’s sister city.
Locally, he conducted the TH Youth Orchestra for a few years in early 1990’s, and guest conducted with the TH Symphony, the TH Community Band, and the Brazil (IN) Community Band.
He established a professional wind orchestra “Philharmonia a Vent” which performed and recorded CDs on the “Elf” label in cooperation with Frederick Fennell and Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell.

During the 2006-07 academic year, he was visiting professor and the first conductor of the Conservatory Winds at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore.

He was a conductor/clinician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

He conducted the Philharmonic Winds of Singapore, the Central Conservatory of Beijing, and Guangzhou Conservatory China, military band of the PLA in Beijing, China, Osaka Philharmonic Winds, Japan, Taiwan wind ensemble, and Taiwan military band.

He conducted the United States Army Band of Washington, DC, (Pershing’s Own) twice, the United States Army Field Band, and conducted/lectured three times at the Royal Northern College of Music at Manchester in the United Kingdom, and at three WASBE International Conferences.

He recorded seven CDs to high acclaim and arranged or composed hundreds of compositions for bands that are still widely played today.

He was a member of the American Bandmasters Assoc., Indiana Bandmasters Assoc, MENC/IMEA, College Band Directors National Assoc., National Band Assoc., WASBE, Phi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Beta Mu. He served on the board of directors for the Conductors Guild.

John is survived by sister Martha Boyd and spouse Sandy Schermerhorn of Kansas City, MO; daughter Joleen Lundin and husband Carl of Minneapolis, MN; daughter Kimberly Henson and husband James of Mount Pleasant, SC; and son John A. Boyd and wife Melissa of Terre Haute, IN; and grandchildren Gabriel and Gideon Lundin, Brendan and Amber Henson, Alex (Cantrell) Boyd and fiancé Caedyn Abner, and Broderic and Carter Boyd.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: John P. Boyd Scholarship #23009 at ISU Foundation, 30 N. 5th St., Terre Haute, IN, 47809 or at www.indstate.edu/give; or to Northwestern University (School of Music designation) at Northwestern University Alumni Relations and Development, Attn: Gift Processing, 1201 Davis St., Evanston, IL; 60208 or www.wewill.northwestern.edu

Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at DeBaun Springhill Chapel, 85 E Springhill Drive, Terre Haute, Indiana. Per the family’s request, masks must be worn at visitation.

Following cremation he will be buried in the Boyd family plot in Blue Rapids, KS.

John Zdechlik, elected to ABA in 1988, passed away on Friday morning May 22, 2020, from complications of Parkinson’s and COVID-19. John had been in ill health for many years and was unable to attend ABA conventions. Prior to his ill health, however, he was an active composer, performer, conductor, and clinician. John earned his Ph.D. in Theory and Composition from the University of Minnesota where he studied with Paul Fetler and Frank Bencriscutto (ABA 1966).

John wrote numerous commissioned and published works, all of which many of our members have played. His works are frequently performed in this country and around the world.

His family was with him on Zoom just prior to his passing. He leaves his wife of many years, Katie, and three children: John, Sarah, and Mark.

Due to the present circumstances, a Memorial will be held at a later date.

John contributed so much to the band world as a performer, conductor, and composer. His contributions will be missed.

Bryant Alexander Poole, loving son, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, of Asheville, NC, passed away May 16, at the age of 71. Bryant was born on September 16, 1948, in Shelby, NC, to Forrest and Hilda (Ivester) Poole. He is survived by a son, Christian Poole, wife Sally, and grandson Rye, a daughter, Laura Moore, and grandchildren Gavin and Kaitlyn, siblings Clark Poole, Keith Poole, and Tierney Poole Fairchild, nieces and nephews Macey Fairchild, Maegan Fairchild, Ian Poole, Bill Poole and Allyson Hutchby.

Bryant graduated from Shelby High School in 1965 and attended La Fayette St. United Methodist Church, where he was active in Boy Scouts of America and Sea Explorers. He graduated from Western Carolina University in 1969, with a degree in Music Education. While attending WCU he was active in concert choir, marching band, concert band, and Delta Sigma Phi and Kappa Kappa Psi fraternities. After graduation, he enjoyed a successful career as a band director in Tryon, NC, Lumberton, NC, and Atlanta, GA. After his band directing career, Mr. Poole earned a Masters in Counseling from the University of Georgia, and became a counselor in the Atlanta area.

Bryant had a passion for many things, including music, building and playing acoustic guitar, woodworking, whitewater kayaking, and camping. He was an avid trout fisherman and photographer. Bryant’s mission in life after retirement was working with his King Charles Spaniel dog named Piper. He and Piper worked at Mission Healthcare’s “Paws on a Mission” in Asheville as a therapy team for adult and pediatric cancer patients.

During his retirement years, he became very active in the Tai Chi and Ponderers’ communities in Asheville, NC. Bryant was always known for his compassionate spirit in all he did, and his desire to help others in all walks of life. Bryant’s biggest joy in life was his family, and the many happy times they shared will always be remembered. He was a true, gentle man.

A memorial service will be held at a later time.

With deep sadness, the family of Austin A. Venzen announces his passing on May 15, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn.

It has been often said life is measured not by the number of years but rather by the love shared, the memories made, the joy given, the blessings received. During his lifetime, Austin A. Venzen served as a mentor, life coach, outstanding musician, classroom teacher, humanitarian, organizer and lover of the arts. He was a man of Savan, a true Virgin Islander and a diehard Yankee fan. However, the greatest balance in that crowded life was experienced at home for this husband, father, grandfather, father figure and a friend of many.

Professor Venzen, Mr. Austin A. Venzen, Mr. Venzen, Venzen or just V — this educator saw each student as one of many adopted children and maintained a relationship in their lives by following their career paths and providing support and encouragement. He was a disciplinarian and demanded much of his students. From them he received outstanding performances, and undying appreciation and respect.

On the collegiate level, his university band toured and cruised many islands in the Caribbean, giving concerts on Tortola, BVI; St. Kitts and Nevis; Anguilla; Barbados; St. Lucia; St. Maarten; Saba; Antigua and others. This ambassador of music was able to spread the universal language of music; introduce and connect his students to their Caribbean neighbors, expose the Caribbean communities and students to a true musical ensemble that would in turn encourage them to look at music as an outlet and, more importantly, become involved in their own school’s music program. These activities developed support for the efforts of UVI music education students. Concerts were held to raise funds to purchase instruments and recruit students and staff.

At the university level, he was adamant about exposing the community to the theatre through musicals like “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” “The Sound of Music,” “The King and I,” and “Damn Yankees” just to name a few. Additionally, he wanted to expose and encourage the young talent with productions like “An Evening on Broadway” and “Night on Lil’ Broadway.” He worked with the UVI Little Theater by serving as musical director on many of their projects.

He traveled to numerous public, private, and parochial schools throughout the Caribbean conducting workshops as an individual and with his Esquire Woodwind Trio. He was a flute soloist on many programs and worked with various church choirs on St. Thomas, often incorporating their talents with his concert band.

Professor Venzen’s pride and joy was the initiation of the Summer Band Camp (concert, jazz and ensembles) at the University of the Virgin Islands and at one point, expanded to a band and opera camp with professor Elvira O. Green. This was an extensive training program for young musicians that drew students from the three Virgin Islands, various Caribbean islands and the United States. Concerts were held weekly in Emancipation Garden, the WICO dock, in various churches and an award-winning performance at the end of the camp. Productions included “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”, “Hansel and Gretel” and “Barber of Seville.”

Upon his retirement from the University of the Virgin Islands, this former associate professor of music relocated to Nashville with his wife Roxie. His musical involvement was also relocated to Nashville, where he instructed private students; taught at the W.O. Smith School of Music; participated in the Metropolitan Wind Ensemble; and he became a member of the music ministry at his adopted church of Clark Memorial United Methodist. At the same time, he continued to return to the Virgin Islands to run his summer band camp through 2018. Yes, he was retired.

Upon his graduation, he returned home to begin his teaching career in 1976. Initially, he was assigned as a band director at Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School and then reassigned to Charlotte Amalie High School.

In 1984, he began his tenure at the then College of the Virgin Islands and remained until his retirement from the University of the Virgin Islands in December of 2012.

Professor Venzen was a lifelong member of Christchurch Methodist and his dear Class No. 1. He maintained memberships with Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Harmonic Lodge 356 on St. Thomas.

Although saddened by Austin’s passing, our collective hearts are filled with happiness for the time he spent with us. The time was short, but our Austin shared his love with so many students and colleagues, created wonderful memories and experiences for young and old, gave joy to numerous audiences and performers, and received blessings for his commitment and generosity. Austin lived a full life.

Left to mourn this Virgin Islands son are his wife, Roxie B. Venzen; sons, DeWayne T. Venzen (Desiree) and Derrick I. Venzen; granddaughter, Bianca Grace Venzen; brothers, Warren Brown, Valimore, Adul, Adullah, Valenteen, Pershing (Lorene), Harold (Joan) Venzen; sisters, Ancelia (Joseph) Benjamin, Andrea Williams, Florence, June, Olive Venzen. Additionally, he leaves a dear cousin, Gwendolyn (Reynold) Barker and a host of other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Petronita Foy, and father, Ebenezer Venzen.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Smith Funeral Directors, Inc., 706 Monroe St., Nashville, Tenn. The service is set for Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Nashville and will be Facebook live-streamed through Smith Funeral Directors or their website at 11:50 a.m. Central time. A memorial celebration will be held in St. Thomas at a date to be determined.

Dr. Frederick Charles Tillis, Galveston native, musician, composer, performer, poet, arts advocate and administrator, director emeritus of the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center (FAC) and co-founder and director emeritus of its Jazz in July program – died at age 90 on Sunday, May 3, 2020 from complications due to hip replacement surgery after a fall.

Dr. Tillis was a proud son of Galveston, born January 5, 1930. His mother was Zelma Bernice Gardner and his stepfather was General Gardner. He was a graduate of the public Galveston schools including Central High School, the first high school created for African Americans in the state of Texas during segregation. His musical talents were recognized at a very early age by his mother and by his music teacher and mentor Mr. Fleming Smizer Huff. Mr. Huff played the trumpet and that inspired Dr. Tillis to learn the instrument. He performed in the high school band and with his mother’s permission, began to play jazz trumpet and eventually saxophone professionally at the age of 12 in local Galveston establishments such as Hotel Galvez. She knew Dr. Tillis would maintain his excellent academic record while encouraging him to gain experience as a performer. As most of the adult musicians were drafted in service during World War II, an opportunity was created and he came to be known on the circuit as Baby Tillis. He inherited his love of music from his mother who played piano.

While at Central, he became lifelong friends with the late Izola Ethel Fedford Collins. As the renowned Galveston historian, Ms. Collins championed Dr. Tillis for his impressive talents and legacy and she frequently performed his music. His family was very devoted to the Reedy Chapel Church and served as long time members and philanthropists of the congregation. Collins was the musician at Reedy and they had that love of music and faith in common.

Dr. Tillis enrolled at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas when he was only 16, beginning his teaching career while earning his bachelor’s degree. He was an honored member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity organization. Immediately upon graduating from Wiley in 1949 at the age of 19, he returned to teach at the college, embarking upon a long career in music education. Dr. Tillis received his master’s degree from the University of Iowa under Dr. Philip Bezanson in 1952. After a four-year stint in the United States Air Force, where he conducted the Air Force band, he then resumed teaching at Wiley and North Texas State before returning to the University of Iowa to receive his Ph.D. From 1964 to 1970, Dr. Tillis taught at Grambling University and Kentucky State University respectively. As a young professor, he played the clarinet, the viola, and the piano in addition to the trumpet and saxophone. He also continued directing marching bands and orchestras. He was recruited by Dr. Bezanson to teach full time at UMass Amherst in 1970.

While at UMass, Dr. Tillis founded numerous programs and courses of study that greatly enriched the cultural life of the campus and the surrounding community. In 1978, he was appointed the director of the Fine Arts Center and helped start some of the university’s most successful arts initiatives. He represented the UMass Music Department and the university as a cultural ambassador, performing locally, nationally and internationally to over 30 countries with students, alumni and faculty.

Dr. Tillis had served as University of Massachusetts music department faculty, associate provost, associate chancellor for equal opportunity and diversity and the Fine Arts Center director for nearly 20 years. His passion and commitment for the arts and arts education extended well beyond each university community where he taught, touching and enriching lives throughout the world.

A performer and composer of unusual breadth, Dr. Tillis’ work profoundly shaped the cultural and musical life of UMass Amherst, the Western Massachusetts communities, and far beyond. His work spans the jazz, European, and African-American spiritual traditions, and encompasses an expansive range of world cultural references with dynamic melodic and harmonic textures. His more than 100 compositions include works for piano and voice, orchestra and chorus, solo and chamber music. He authored the textbook entitled Jazz Theory and Improvisation and authored 15 books of poetry.

A recipient of numerous honors and awards, Dr. Tillis was an influential educator, helping to establish the jazz studies programs at both the University of Fort Hare, South Africa and the Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and serving on several cultural boards including the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Massachusetts Council on the Arts, and review committees at the National Endowment for the Arts.

Upon his retirement from UMass in 1997, Dr. Tillis was awarded the honorific title emeritus director of the Fine Arts Center. Even in retirement, he remained active and connected by performing, composing music, lecturing, and writing poetry. The W.E.B. Du Bois Library maintains the Frederick Tillis papers, which document his extraordinary career. For more information about his esteemed career, visit www.composers.com/frederick-tillis.

Dr. Tillis is pre-deceased by his parents, Zelma Bernice Gardner and General Gardner; his wife and partner of 66 years, Edna Louise; and is survived by his daughters Patricia and Pamela; son-in-law Paul Hammacott; nieces Edna Louise Richards, Janet Levingston-Williams Lawrence, and Glendra Gunishaw-Johnson; nephew Marshall Gunishaw III; longtime family friends Helen and James Smith, and several great nieces and nephews. Dr. Tillis was laid to rest at Wildwood Cemetery on Friday, May 8, 2020 in a private family service. A memorial page has been established online at www.fineartscenter.com/Tillis where people can visit to leave remembrances. The Tillis Family so warmly thanks all of Dr. Tillis’ legions of friends, colleagues, students, and admirers. We feel your outpouring of love and thank you so dearly for your kindnesses.

John McRae Wolfe (76) of Tampa, passed away peacefully April 26, 2020. He was a lifelong resident of Tampa. John was preceded in death by his parents Arthur Charles Wolfe and Elizabeth McRae Wolfe, and his grandmother Maude McRae. He was the beloved husband of Pat Rosendahl Wolfe for 47 years; and father of John McRae II, Brian (Katy); his three adored grandchildren, Maggie, Emmy, and James. He leaves behind his brother Lester (Vicki); brothers-in-law Melvin (Madonna) Geithmann and Joe (Roxanne) Geithmann; and many favorite nieces and nephews. All the family and friends knew that Uncle John or Mr. Wolfe or Papa was good for a ride to the ice cream or the slurpee store. And of course they were not to tell the “Boss” (Pat) that they were getting a treat. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for the past 50 years where he taught Sunday school, was Sr. Warden on the Vestry, and served where needed. In 2004, he became an Ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church and served at St Mary’s Episcopal Church until he retired from service. He was and still known affectionately as Deacon Wolfe by students, parents, and friends. He attended Gorrie Elementary, Wilson Jr High, H.B. Plant High ‘61, and graduated from University of Tampa with a BS in Economics and on a full music scholarship. He later received his M.B.A. from the University of South Florida where he met his poopsie Pat. John loved tuba playing in the German Band at HB Plant, All State, and was first chair at UT being a proud member of the Music Society Kappa Kappa Psi. He greatly enjoyed Friday morning Cuban espresso in West Tampa with his former band members and also at a Friday lunch group at the American Legion 138. John smiled and joked with friends at breakfast, lunch, or ice cream, especially at the former The Old Meeting House. Another favorite activity was early morning gym workouts with his exercise group. John was very active in organizations and was a member or served on several boards over the years, among them, the Sword and Shield at UT, Berkeley, Faith Café, Tampa East Sertoma Club, Board of Fellows and Trustees at UT; Economic Club of Tampa; Davis Island Civic Association, Tampa Sister Cities, and F.W.&P.C.O Region XII. He was also a member of Leadership Tampa, Tampa Yacht & Country Club, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, and the University Club. During his business career, he started several businesses within the construction and building industry. His last firm was a manufacturers’ rep for the SE, and he was well thought of for his network and knowledge of industrial and commercial paint coatings, pavers, and terrazzo flooring. Many customers became lifelong friends. John loved elephants and thus named his business Pachyderm. We will never forget him either. A private family memorial service will be held. A celebration of his life will be held during the summer yet to be determined. Memorial gifts should be sent to St. Andrew’s Foundation, 509 E. Twiggs St, 33602 or University of Tampa Athletics Sword & Shield Club, 401 W Kennedy, 33606-1490. Many thanks to the staff at Bayshore Pointe for their compassionate care these last few months.

Dr. Olin Glenn Smith, a retired NASA engineer with a long and distinguished career, passed away at his home in Clear Lake, Texas on April 24th. He was 85. Glenn, as he was known to friends and family, was surrounded by those closest to his failing heart, his wife of 61 years Sue by his side, and his four children. It could not have been a more peaceful and dignified launch to the heavens for this lifelong curious engineer and rocket scientist.

Glenn was born July 15, 1934 in Cridersville, Ohio. Growing up at the end of the depression, he embodied diligence and fortitude from an early age and always had a grateful, positive outlook on life. He took pride in the simple pleasures of the pre WW2 era in a small town: big band music, unreliable cars, free Saturday night movies at the drive-in where he worked one summer as an usher, among many local jobs he held, including caddy at nearby Shawnee Country Club. He would remark how lucky he was to live his version of the American dream, ending up a part of history as he helped guide NASA from the Apollo launches through to the International Space Station. The key to success was a grounded work ethic, self discipline and humility– he would offer, if asked.

Glenn was a class of 1952 graduate of Cridersville High School, elected senior class president. He graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1956 with a High Distinction and top of his class in the College of Engineering. He would later be honored by ONU in 2013 with the Distinguished Alumni Award. He was a member of Sigma Xi (scientific honorary), Alpha Sigma Phi (social), Tau Beta Pi (national engineering honorary), and Kappa Kappa Psi (college band honorary). His education continued, earning in 1963 a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Just two years later Glenn defended his PhD thesis on the topic of heat transfer in nuclear reactors.

From 1956-1967, he was employed by Westinghouse Electric as a design engineer for electric power generators for aircraft and the space program and was a heat transfer specialist at the Atomic Power Labs in Pittsburgh. In 1967, Dr. Smith moved his young and growing family to Houston and the promise of the NASA Johnson Space Center, to be part of our nation’s journey to the moon and beyond. He would spend 27 years on numerous projects, thriving in the team atmosphere at NASA. He always gave credit to the group effort, never focusing on his own accomplishments. As a project engineer and manager, Glenn worked on the Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station projects. After the Apollo moon missions, he was the study manager of a NASA in-house effort to identify costs, schedules and recommendations for various uses of Apollo launch ready systems, including Skylab II, the Apollo-Soyuz mission, artificial gravity tests, manipulator development, solar power satellite demos and museum pieces. He was the project lead for a team of astronauts, scientists and engineers tasked with designing controls for the Apollo telescope mount in Skylab, and he led the development of the earth resources instruments for the Skylab program. Glenn was manager of a NASA applications program for developing practical applications of satellite Earth resources data, managing approximately 450 contracts with university researchers and other users. He next was deputy manager of systems engineering for the Space Shuttle program. He was co-designer of the proposed flyback booster to improve shuttle safety and reduce cost. And so we could confer upon him the title ‘rocket scientist’, he was a rocket engine specialist in the Shuttle Systems Engineering Office at the Johnson Space Center, specializing in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) built by Rocketdyne. He concluded his career at NASA as manager of science and applications experiments for the International Space Station. While with NASA, Glenn lectured to the European Space Agency on systems engineering and was the winner of 25 outstanding or superior performance awards, and gave testimony to various congressional committees regarding the safety and cost of space launch systems.

After retiring from NASA, he continued to consult on space launch systems, write articles for Space News and contribute his knowledge to Space Center Houston’s educational efforts. He remained active in the space community and in touch with colleagues Chris Kraft, and Bob Thompson for many years. Last summer in July 2019, Glenn was honored by his hometown in Ohio during the weeklong 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing, where he was a featured guest at the Cridersville Firemen’s Jamboree, rode in two parades, and spoke to a packed house at the Community Center on his experiences at NASA and friendship with fellow Ohioan Neil Armstrong. With family and childhood friends in attendance, he celebrated his 85th birthday and was honored by the Cridersville Historical Society with an exhibit of his life’s works and contributions to the space program. The festive week culminated with Glenn attending the ‘First on the Moon’ gala at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, where he was previously inducted into the Wapakoneta School District Hall of Fame, along with Neil in 2002.

Beyond his accomplishments in engineering, Glenn also was the consummate amateur athlete. A three sport athlete (basketball, baseball, golf), while at Ohio Northern University he was a standout all American Basketball player, holding many scoring and rebounding records to this day. He spent a semester as a pitcher in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies while maintaining top grades. In 1997 he was inducted into the ONU Athletic Hall of Fame. Often at family gatherings, he would challenge all to pick up games on the driveway hoop and intense ping pong matches. Glenn was also a fitness buff, running the Houston marathon in 1984 and working out daily until two months before his passing, In retirement, Glenn would turn to his love of golf, playing almost daily at Bay Oaks Country Club, where he won the Traditions Tournament in 2002. From rounds with Gene Sarazen in Florida, to a trip to Scotland where he played what he considered the most beautiful and historic links, Royal Dornoch, he would avidly keep tour-like statistics of each round so he could analyze his game as only an engineer could. Indeed he was an early adapter of the controversial anchored long putter stroke. In addition to his passion for golf, Glenn was a licensed commercial pilot, who flew around friends and family in an early model Piper Cherokee Cub for years, buzzing friends’ homesteads in a pass-by of acrobatic showmanship, and taking weekend jaunts to West Texas’ Big Bend. One of his most memorable tales, was flying Armand Yramategui, then Curator of the Burke Baker Planetarium, down to Eastern Mexico in the late ’60s to climb ruins of the Mayan pyramid at Palenque in the dark of night to view the heavens. Having cheated death at least once before during a skydiving mishap, Glenn was involved in another venture gone awry a decade ago, when a rocket propulsion system he had been advising on, as part of the Space X competition, exploded in a Bay Area warehouse field damaging much of his hearing and making the local news.

Glenn spent the last decade shouting “Come on, Sue!” as the two of them would embark on many travel adventures abroad including Germany, Italy, Egypt, Ireland. The final years of his life together with Sue, revolved around their many grand and great grandchildren and gatherings at their home, always the hub of family holidays and special occasions for their brood of 30+. Despite his hearing loss and intrepid nature, a no more intelligent or caring patriarch could offer such a full life to his family to the very end. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sue, their four children and spouses, 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. To honor Glenn’s life, a beautiful, intimate service was held for immediate family at Crowder Funeral Home in Clear Lake on April 30th, led by Rev. Katrina Pennington, Senior Associate Pastor at Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, where Glenn was a member for more than four decades.