Glenn was born to Ray and Orpha (Payne) Merrill on October 15, 1925 in rural Linn County, KS. near Centerville. He attended elementary school in Linn County, and graduated from Parker (Kansas) High School in 1943. Following graduation, Glenn was accepted into the US Navy’s V6 officer-candidate program, and he was commissioned as an Ensign in 1945 after attending the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. In March 1945, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Polley, in Kansas City, KS and started a life together that lasted 56 years until her death. After his discharge at the end of World War II, he graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Education. He taught high school classes in math and science, and coached varsity sports in Lincolnville, KS and Chetopa, KS before starting a long career with Prudential Insurance in 1952. With Prudential, Glenn served as life insurance agent in Cherryvale, KS, staff manager in Pittsburg, KS, training manager based in the Kansas City area, and as district manager in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. He retired from Prudential in 1981 and served many years as a substitute teacher in Linn County and Anderson County schools while living on a family farm near Parker. He was also active in the community and served on the rural water district board, the board of the Parker Historical Society, Parker High School alumni committees and various activities associated with the Parker United Methodist Church. In 2002, Glenn renewed an old friendship that developed into a new romance, and he married Betty Nave in Ulysses, KS in July 2002. Later that year, they moved to Salina where they quickly established enduring friendships that he greatly enjoyed along with the many friendships he maintained from earlier in life.

Glenn is survived by his wife, Betty, of Salina; son, Jim, and wife, Charlotte, Leawood, KS; grandsons Jason, Bentonville, AR, Shane, and wife, Gidget, Salina and Matthew, and wife, Sabrena, Lawrence, KS; and Shallan, Brookfield, MO; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by four step sons: Bill Nave, Houston; Brad Nave and wife, Mica, Elkhart, KS; Brian Nave and wife, Kim, Parker, CO and Blane Nave and wife, Jennifer, Youngsville, LA.; 11 step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren, all of whom he truly considered to be family during the seven years he and Betty were together.

Glenn was preceded in death by his mother and father; wife, Dorothy; daughter, Glenna; brothers Robert, Roy, Ralph and Clyde; and sister, Ruth.

Glenn will be remembered by family as a devoted husband, dad and granddad who loved attending any type of event involving family members, and who had just as much fun watching and cheering as his family members had participating. We will also remember his great love of family reunions and get-togethers, especially at his and Dorothy’s farm near Parker and more recently at his and Betty’s home in Salina. Friends and family alike will remember him as being a thoughtful teacher, someone who was quick to offer help, a great conversationalist who rarely forgot a name, a regular guy who never “put on airs,” and someone who was able to kid others without malice and take kidding from them in the same way. All of us who knew him over the years will remember him as a natural athlete who played every sport that his schools had to offer, and who howled and pitched horseshoes until late in his seventies when illnesses made it impossible to continue. Even then, he was convinced that it would not be long before he was back in action winning trophies for his age group and even beating some of the younger competitors every so often. He was also an avid game player who was known to play bridge, Yahtze, Uno, Farkle and a dozen other games as long as someone still had enough energy to play another game with him. Regardless of whether we knew him as Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Glenn or just plain, Glenn; we’ll all remember his gift of making each of us feel like we were special whenever we were with him.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at First Southern Baptist Church, Salina. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, in Grove Hill Cemetery, Cadmus, near Parker.

Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, at Ryan Mortuary, Salina.

Memorials are suggested to the church or Hospice of Kansas.