Glenn Waters

Glenn Edward Waters, 107, of Greenville Green Acres, went to be with his Lord and Savior on May 17, 2020 after a bout with pneumonia. He was born at home in Ionia County on July 30, 1912, the son of Fred and Grace (Connor) Waters. He and his younger brother spent their childhood hunting, trapping, chopping wood and helping with the family garden.

He attended Grove and Haynor country schools and graduated from Ionia High School with the Class of 1933. His track coach/shop teacher advised him to attend Western Michigan University (Western State Teachers College in those days). Glenn worked at a variety of jobs to pay his way through college, graduating from Western in 1937. Following graduation, he immediately paid off his mother the five dollars he had needed to borrow for his education. In later years, he completed a Masters Degree at WMU. Glenn taught wood, metal and welding industrial shop classes: 3 years in Olivet, 3 years in Johannesburg and 34 years in Midland, retiring in 1976.

Glenn’s hobbies over the years were bowling, wood working and carving, fishing, playing euchre and watching the Detroit Tigers and Pistons. Although not musical himself, he constructed a number of beautiful dulcimers. Over his very long life, he made many friends and was a member of Ionia Evangelical United Brethren Church, Midland United Methodist Church and Belding United Methodist Church.

He loved being married and outlived three wives. He married Helen Gaffney in 1941. They built a home in Midland and a cottage at Spider Lake, Traverse City. They had been married for 55 years when she died in 1997. There were no children. Glenn married Ella May Ludlow, a high school friend, in 1998. She died in 2005. Her children are Marlene (Jerry) Stilson of Cadillac and Harold “Buster” (Norma) Ludlow of Hillsdale. After meeting up with another classmate at an Ionia HS alumni banquet, Glenn married Dorothy Westbrook Bird in 2006 and they lived in Belding and then Green Acres, Greenville until her passing in 2015. Dorothy’s children are Marjorie Hansen of Belding, Bill (Liz) Bird of Ionia, Sam (Mary) Bird of Haslett and Jeannie (Joe) Crawley of Penn Valley, CA.

Glenn is loved and survived by his niece; Barbara Waters (Dorrance) Hurlbut, nephew by marriage; David Seidelman and niece by marriage; Wilma Waters and many grandnieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Grace Waters, brother Royce (Evelyn) Waters, half sister Jenny (Clayton) Huntley, Jim (Donna) Huntley, Robert Waters and Janet Waters Seidelman.

A public visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 AM at Belding United Methodist Church on Thursday, May 21, 2020.  Due to the Covid-19 virus only 10 people will be allowed in church at one time. Social distancing will be observed and all family and friends are respectfully asked to wear a face mask. A private funeral service will follow at the church with Pastor Donna Sperry officiating. Memorials may be given to two of Glenn’s favorite places; Belding United Methodist Church or the Belding Library. Entombment will be in New Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum in Midland. 

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