Obituary for James Glenn
James Ernest Glenn, 72, a resident of Ypsilanti, passed away April 8, 2021 at Arbor Hospice in Saline, Michigan. The son of Ernest Glenn and Maxine Dermody Glenn, Jim was born January 11, 1949 in Madison, Wisconsin and grew up in rural Iowa near Cedar Rapids and in Wyoming, Michigan.
Jim was a 1967 graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and earned his undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State College in 1971 and his graduate degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake in 1981.
Jim’s career was spent primarily working in academic and community theater. He taught speech, acting and related subjects for many years at College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas and Galveston College in Galveston, Texas. During his years at College of the Mainland he was also the drama department’s technical director building sets for scores of productions.
Throughout his career Jim acted in more than 50 plays including productions by the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Omaha Community Playhouse, Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, Grand Haven Civic Theatre, Clear Creek Country Theater, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Houston Shaw Festival, Actor’s Theatre of Houston, and the Strand Street Theatre. He was particularly interested in all aspects of Shakespearean acting and production and concentrated throughout his career on performing and training other actors to interpret Shakespeare’s works. In recent years Jim gave numerous talks about Shakespeare and Michigan history to audiences at libraries, schools, senior centers and civic groups throughout southeast Michigan.
Jim was a skilled carpenter and enjoyed helping friends and family enhance and update their homes. He also loved to make furniture and leaves behind several fine examples of his work.
Jim’s ebullient and cheerful personality was a source of fun for all who knew him. His caring nature was a comfort and source of strength for family and friends. He loved to help others and was particularly fond of collecting and sharing jokes and puns.
Jim is survived by siblings, Gary (Ann) Glenn of DeKalb, Illinois, Mary (Bill) Glenn Bigler of Ypsilanti, Mark (Clemencia) Glenn of Reno, Nevada, Ann Glenn of Annapolis, Maryland; eight nieces and nephews; and numerous great nieces and nephews.
Internment will be at the Mt. Zion “Block” Cemetery near Greenup, Illinois where he will be laid to rest with his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents.
Friends may send memorial donations in Jim’s name to Interlochen Center for the Arts, Attn: Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 199, Interlochen, MI 49643 or online at: https://www.interlochen.org/give
Jim was a 1967 graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and earned his undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State College in 1971 and his graduate degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake in 1981.
Jim’s career was spent primarily working in academic and community theater. He taught speech, acting and related subjects for many years at College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas and Galveston College in Galveston, Texas. During his years at College of the Mainland he was also the drama department’s technical director building sets for scores of productions.
Throughout his career Jim acted in more than 50 plays including productions by the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Omaha Community Playhouse, Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, Grand Haven Civic Theatre, Clear Creek Country Theater, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Houston Shaw Festival, Actor’s Theatre of Houston, and the Strand Street Theatre. He was particularly interested in all aspects of Shakespearean acting and production and concentrated throughout his career on performing and training other actors to interpret Shakespeare’s works. In recent years Jim gave numerous talks about Shakespeare and Michigan history to audiences at libraries, schools, senior centers and civic groups throughout southeast Michigan.
Jim was a skilled carpenter and enjoyed helping friends and family enhance and update their homes. He also loved to make furniture and leaves behind several fine examples of his work.
Jim’s ebullient and cheerful personality was a source of fun for all who knew him. His caring nature was a comfort and source of strength for family and friends. He loved to help others and was particularly fond of collecting and sharing jokes and puns.
Jim is survived by siblings, Gary (Ann) Glenn of DeKalb, Illinois, Mary (Bill) Glenn Bigler of Ypsilanti, Mark (Clemencia) Glenn of Reno, Nevada, Ann Glenn of Annapolis, Maryland; eight nieces and nephews; and numerous great nieces and nephews.
Internment will be at the Mt. Zion “Block” Cemetery near Greenup, Illinois where he will be laid to rest with his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents.
Friends may send memorial donations in Jim’s name to Interlochen Center for the Arts, Attn: Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 199, Interlochen, MI 49643 or online at: https://www.interlochen.org/give