Glenn Henry Anderson, 90, Springfield, died December 13th, 2011, in hospice care in his home in Springfield. He was born November 16, 1921, in Worthington, Minnesota, the son of Jodie and Katherine Anderson and was raised on farms near Fulda and Worthington, Minnesota. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, graduated, was commissioned and flew C-47 and C-46 transport aircraft in North Africa, Italy, and northern Europe during World War II. He towed gliders and dropped paratroopers during the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Europe and Operation Market Garden in Holland. He was discharged from active duty as a major, but later joined the Air Force Reserves and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
On March 23, 1947 Glenn married Marguerite E. Murrell of Springfield, Missouri, and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he worked for Williams Steel and Hardware, retiring in 1985 as the Customer Service Manager. Glenn and Marge then moved to Fair Grove, Missouri, where they spent many years on the local neighborhood watch and as volunteers for the Springfield Friends of the Library. Glenn was avid biker and spent many hours exploring the Fair Grove and Springfield areas on bicycle and tricycle.
Preceding Glenn in death were his two brothers; Harry who died in childhood and Loren; and one sister, Phyllis. He is survived by one sister, Florence Beck of Tyler, Minnesota, his wife Marguerite E. Anderson of Springfield, Missouri, and his two sons, Torger J. Anderson of Alexandria, Virginia, and Peter C. Anderson of Springfield, Virginia.
A memorial service will be held in Glenn’s honor on January 13th, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans’ Cemetery, 5201 S. Southwood Road, Springfield, MO, at 1:00 pm. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to either the Mercy St. John’s Hospice, 1570 W. Battlefield Road, Suite 110, Springfield, MO 65807, or to Ozark Greenways Inc., P.O. Box 50733, Springfield, MO 65805.