September 20, 1916 - April 9, 2015

Johnnie James Glenn Sr.

Celebrating the Life of Johnnie James Glenn Sr.

September 20, 1916 - April 9, 2015

Friday, April 17, 2015Bostick Temple COGIC

1448 Hodiamont Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63112

Elder Solomon Williams, Officiant

Pastor, New Jerusalem Cathedral COGIC

Processional

Opening Prayer, Elder Carl Terrell

Old Testament Reading, Elder Charles McElroyScripture: Psalm 23: 1-6

New Testament Reading, Minister Andrew Glenn Jr.Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:-1-9

“I Can Only Imagine” by Tamela Mann Sung by Angela L. Glenn, Granddaughter

Acknowledgements and Condolences, LaManda Robinson

Family Musical Tribute“Total Praise” by Richard Smallwood, Sung by Granddaughters

Erica Williams, Lisa Fischer and Angela L. Glenn

Remarks from the Pulpit, Elder Solomon Williams

Family ReflectionsArthur Glenn, Donald Glenn, John Glenn and

Family Friend Susie Will Butler

Life Story (Read Silently)(There Will Be) “Peace in the Valley”

Sermonic Solo“Healing” by Richard Smallwood

Sung by Meaghan Williams McNeal

Eulogy, Elder Solomon Williams

Parting View

Benediction, The Reverend T.D. StubblefieldPastor, First Baptist Church of Chesterfield

Recessional

T hank you for acknowledging our pain and sharing our grief. We

are grateful to all of you who have expressed sympathy and

concern. It has greatly lightened this burden of sorrow. We ask that you

continue to keep us in your hearts and in your prayers.

With sincere appreciation,

The Family of Johnnie Glenn

A soft word turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger! Proverbs15:1

These are the words our father lived by and one of the many scriptures he

used to minister to every person he encountered that needed a word from

God! He was a man with an incredible, God-given meek and humble spirit.

I thank God for him choosing my mother (a powerful woman of God) and

then blessing them with me and my five wonderful siblings, showing us all

life has to offer through loving God, your family and others. God gave you

and Mama the torch; you both passed it to us. Thank you Lord. Daddy, we

are all striving to see you and Mama in heaven! To God be the glory! Words

could never express my love and appreciation for all that you have been to

me and taught me. You were truly an example for both men and women!

With All My Love, Alice

PallbearersTerran McDonald Terrance McDonald David E. Glenn Jr.

David L. J. Glenn Timothy Glenn Donald L. Glenn Jr.

Mark A. McDonald Sr. James Glenn

Honorary PallbearersJohnnie J. Glenn Jr. Donald L. Glenn Sr. David E. Glenn Sr.

Bruce McDonald Aaron Arthur Glenn

Interment

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63125

RepastFirst Baptist Church of Chesterfield

17103 Wild Horse Creek Road

Chesterfield, Mo. 63017

Arrangements by Austin Layne Mortuary

Johnnie James Glenn Sr. Survivor, Provider, Entrepreneur, Amateur Comedian, Role Model

All of us who knew and loved Johnnie J. Glenn Sr. were awe-

struck by the fierce strength that was masked by his easygoing

approach to life.

Johnnie was born September 20, 1916, in Colum-

bus, Mississippi, the third of James and Alma Jones

Glenn’s ten children. The family soon moved to

East St. Louis, Illinois, seeking work. What they

found was the bloody 1917 East St. Louis race riot.

They hid along the banks of the Mississippi River

during the turmoil, then returned to Columbus,

the place they had sought to escape for a better life

“up North.”

Seeds of Survival

He was raised on a farm in Columbus, Mississippi where

family values, hard work and responsibility provided the

foundation for the man he was to become.

Before leaving Columbus, he worked on the farm as well as

for Johnson Furniture Company and the Mississippi Depart-

ment of Transportation.There he claimed to have single-

handedly built U.S. Highway 82 across the state.

World War II called and Johnnie served with the U.S.

Army Air Corps as a cook at Shepard Field in Wichita

Falls, Texas, from 1942 to 1945. In 1943, he returned

to Columbus to marry his sweetheart, Evelyn Harris.

They had planned to stay in Texas after his dis-

charge; however, one dust storm too many and they

headed to St. Louis.

Johnnie arrived in the city with an honorable

discharge and a fifth-grade education. He was

determined to continue his education, which had

been interrupted by work in the cotton fields. He

enrolled in night school for his basic education. He learned

shoe repair and took auto body courses –skills he would later use to supplement

the family’s income.

The Glenn household was soon bustling with little ones, so Johnnie worked harder.

He became part-owner of two small restaurants and worked more than 30 years in

government for the U. S. Army Medical Depot and the U.S. Department of Veterans

Affairs.

His work ethic was coupled with a no-nonsense belief in respect and responsibility.

Generally, Johnnie left the day-to-day discipline of the children to Evelyn, but the

threat of his rare intervention helped keep everybody in line. No one wanted to

hear Evelyn say “wait until I tell your father.”

All Work and No Play …Johnnie was constantly looking for ways to make ends

meet. He shopped at thrift stores, did light haul-

ing and indulged in his pride and joy hobby and

income source: recycling. Some called it “junking,”

but Johnnie had it down to a science and to him,

“trash” hardly existed. Copper and aluminum were

the mainstays; however, paper, glass and rags were

fair game too. At some point, all of the children

became unwilling participants in his recycling endeavors.

As hard as he worked, he played harder. The man some

called “Cakie” enjoyed nothing more than a good laugh. He

was often the source, and at his own instigation, the subject,

of many laughs. Someone once remarked that he would

speak to a light post – and try to make it laugh.

Johnnie’s well-known frugality was sometimes a source of

amusement. There was the occasion of a trip he and Evelyn

took to Bowling Green, Mo. to buy chickens for nine cents

per pound. Upon arrival, they learned that the low price was

for live chickens. Undaunted, he loaded his Cadillac with 100 live chickens and

headed back to St. Louis where 99 were dressed and appeared on the dinner table

for the remainder of the year. One chicken, later named Sylvia, escaped the chop-

ping block and lived in the neighborhood for a year, making her urban family the

object of many jokes: neighbors said the Glenns had a “watchchicken.”

He was known to be a sharp dresser. When asked to appear in a local United Way

video, Johnnie not only agreed, but volunteered his home for the taping. His only

question: “What should I wear?” He was told “casual” clothing. He was taped

wearing a three-piece suit, crisp white shirt and a necktie, with a handkerchief

tucked in his breast pocket. A matching hat sat at the ready, just in case there

was any outdoor shooting.

A major turn in Johnnie’s life came when, after more than 22 years of living in

“the projects,” he was able to purchase a home for his family. His handyman skills

were brought to bear as he transformed that home into his “castle,” where he

reigned until his transition on April 9, 2015.

A Family Mourns

Johnnie was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved Evelyn in 1998, two

children who died in infancy, Joseph and Johnny, and eight siblings, Reubin Glenn,

Carrie Covington, Ossie Glenn, Idella Darnell, D.D. McKinley Glenn, Joseph Glenn,

Andrew David Glenn and Alice Meriwether.

He will be dearly missed by his children, Johnny J. (Bettye) Glenn Jr., Dardenne

Prairie, Mo.; Donald Leroy Glenn Sr., Alice M. Glenn-Houghs, Deborah L. (Bruce)

McDonald, David E. Glenn Sr. and Ida Denise Glenn, all of St. Louis; a brother,

Albert (Lilly) Glenn, Memphis, Tenn.; 20 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, 7

great-great-grandchildren and a multitude of other family and friends.

Johnnie also grew up with first cousins Camille

Phillips, Linda Darnell, Pamela Darnell and Aaron

Arthur Glenn and the late Elaine Darnell.

I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My SongJohnnie’s life story can be summed up by the

lyrics of one of his favorite songs:

“I’m gonna live the life I sing about in my song

I’m gonna stand for right and I always shun wrong

If I’m in the crowd, If I’m alone

On the streets or in my home

I’m gonna live the life I sing about in my song”…

BACK (L-R): Johnnie Jr., Johnnie Sr., David, Evelyn, Donald / FRONT (L-R): Alice, Ida, Deborah

BACK (L-R): Alice, Andrew, Johnnie, Ossie, D.D. McKinley, Joseph, AlbertFRONT (L-R): Carrie, Idella, James, Alma, Reubin