Glenn Grise was heard yelling “Wahoo what a ride…. Somebody Woo Me… as he crossed to the other side on January 31, 2017. What a ride it has been. It started on May 22, 1962 in Fort Wayne Indiana where he lived with his Dad (Don) Mom (Dee) and sister (Lauren). Lauren and Glenn have been best friends for life. His Uncle (Paul) Aunt (Lois) and cousins Paula, Pam, Lynn, and Robert lived next door to him growing up. He always said it was like having 2 sets of parents and his cousins should be called his sisters and brother. He often talked about how much he loved growing up with his close-knit family.
After graduating from Snider High School, he attended Purdue University and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He loved his Boilers and made sure everyone around him knew it! The Purdue bookstore sales will plummet after today.
He met his wife Mary Pat at Purdue and became part of another awesome family. Her parents Jack and Mary Ann and her brothers and sisters Lisa, Lori, Jake, David and Amy became his new siblings. The stories and shenanigans of all of them together are epic!
Glenn and Mary Pat (his wife of 32 years) moved to Florida in 1984 after college. They made life long friends and memories during their 5 years there. After Florida they moved to Evergreen Colorado where they raised 3 boys AJ, Sam and Jackson and made countless friends and timeless memories.
Glenn and Mary Pat love their boys and were active in their love of sports. He and Mary Pat would pass each other on the highway as they traveled to different ski resorts for ski races or Baseball fields for baseball games.
Glenn always had love, laughter and words of wisdom for his great friends in Colorado, whom he considered his extended family, often referring to them as his brothers and sisters. This extended family was by his side throughout his 20-year battle with scleroderma and cancer, supporting and caring for him as his health and mobility declined. There was always a party at the Grise house with Glenn at the center of it all!
Anywhere he traveled across the country, Glenn had wonderful friends. Whenever he was in a friend’s hometown, he would reach out and party with that friend. Glenn enjoyed yearly cattle drives with his buddies who will remember those fun times for the rest of their lives!
Glenn would want you to know that he also had the best job in the world, working at Cisco Systems and Comstor. His colleagues there were so great to him always, but especially during the last few years. They were a family at Cisco and Comstor and he would hardly call it work when he had so much fun!
Glenn would tell you that he was the most blessed guy on the planet because he just loved his life. His hope for all is that they would have faith in God, love one another, understand how special they are and have FUN! He was all about having Fun. He always said “Let’s put the Fun Meter in the Red!”
Boiler UP!... Go Cubs Go! ... and LEAVE NO DOUBT!
Listed below are several charities that Glenn supported:
Please consider a donation in Glenn’s name to Special Olympics of Howard County, Indiana c/o Kathy Roberts, Howard County Treasurer. 104 Westover Court, Kokomo, IN 46902.
Scleroderma Research Foundation....www.scleroderma.org.
Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association: www.river-rats.org.
This is what Glenn's dear friend Jim Paulsen sent to him so that everyone would know what the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association meant to Glenn:
"Glenn was a great supporter of America and it's military, especially military pilots as he had his private pilot's license as well and so loved to fly. The story of his long and valiant battle against Scleroderma and Cancer has been inspirational in many fighter pilot ready rooms, as told by the fighter pilots who knew him. One way that Glenn expressed his appreciation to military pilots was as a recurring contributor to the charity mission of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association. More commonly known as the "River Rats." these former and active duty fighter pilots created an IRS 501C3 charity whose purpose is to support the families of those who have given their lives while defending America while flying in a military aircraft. They do this primarily by providing college scholorships for the children of those fallen avaitors, but surviving spouses can also use these scholorships to return to school. It is Glenn's wish that you consider also donating to this very unique and worthy charity. Your tax deductible donation will honor Glenn's memory by specifying(in memory of Glenn Grise) and all River Rats and the scholorship recipiants will read Glenn's name in the River Rat's quarterly publication."
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