Richard Glendening, M.D. 9/10/24 – 9/17/11

Andrew’s dad slipped away from life early yesterday morning. A peaceful, pain free transition after 87 full years.

Dick was drafted during WWII and testing placed him in a fast track to becoming a doctor. He spent the war years doing pre-med studies at Johns Hopkins and then getting his M.D. at Georgetown. By that time the war had ended, and after a residency in Indianapolis, he started practicing medicine in IN. He spent several years as a surgeon during the Korean war, and then spent the rest of his professional career as a family doctor in the town of Logansport, IN, delivering generations of babies!

He loved his Scottish heritage, and one of his passions was playing the bagpipes:

Another passion, passed down to him from HIS father, who was a farmer, was getting rid of groundhogs. Dick and Ellen lived in a house that had a steep hill behind it, and Dick was always trying to keep the groundhogs from turning that hill into a landslide. Andrew and Liam went out for a visit this past June, and Liam was able to experience the joy of groundhog “bombing”:

Family was very important to him, and there were family reunions at the “old family farm”, about 3 hours away from Logansport, every other Labor day weekend. Dick would always bring his pipes and play a tune or two, always with a trail of kids following behind him. Here are some pix from one ten years ago:

Because of some absolutely incredible cousins Andrew has who live in Indianapolis, Dick was able to attend the reunion just 2 weeks ago:

 

The day after the reunion, Dick’s health took a rapid turn for the worse – I’ve heard so many stories of people waiting for some significant event to happen, and then just fading away, I believe that this was one of those times. I sent a copy of the picture of Liam working on the groundhogs, and that brought a smile to his face on his last really lucid day. Between the Indianapolis cousins, one of Andrew’s brother and his sister, and visits from LOTS of medical folk, Dick had company until the very end.

We’ll be taking the boys with us as we travel east for the wake and funeral. I realize that although they didn’t know him all that well, this would be a great chance for them to hear all sorts of stories, and get to know their grandfather in this way.

His official obituary is here.

21 Responses

  2. Sounds like he was a good man with a full life – glad you are all able to get to the funeral next weekend and celebrate his life with your boys.

  4. How wonderful that he was able to attend the most recent reunion before going on to an even bigger reunion on the other side. I hope you all have a wonderful time remembering all the best things about him. (((hugs)))

  5. Candy, I enjoyed your tribute very much; can relate to the Scottish heritage and my Dad loves the bagpipes, although he does not play. This was a real blessing to read, and our condolences on the loss to your family. God’s Peace to you all.

  6. I am so sorry for your loss Candy. I, too, lost my FIL earlier this year (aged 82) who had a good old fashioned Scottish funeral so we seem to have quilte a few things in common.

  10. I, too, am so sorry for your family’s loss. It sounds like he was an amazing man, and well loved at that. I’ll continue to keep you and Andrew — and the boys — in my thoughts! BIG HUGS to all of you!

  11. Candy,
    This is an abdolutely beautiful tribute to a wonderful man. Old Jewish saying: as long as someone is alive to remember, no one is truly dead. Your sons will remember their grandfather for a long, long time. Have a safe trip…

  12. Candy, what a wonderful tribute to my cousin Dick. He was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed by all of us.

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  15. So very sorry for your loss. he sounds like a wonderful man, full of life and who had many who loved him. I’m really happy to see he was able to attend the reunion. My thoughts are with you and your family.

  16. Dear Glendening Family:
    I was so sorry to hear of Dick’s passing. I have known him and his wife Ellen since my deceased husband Paul Densford and I were married in 1958. What a dear man he was. I am sure he is now in heaven, visiting with his many dear ones who preceeded him.

    May God bless you all.
    Pat Densford Phillips, wife of Paul Densford (who died in 2006)

  17. Hello, I am a first cousin of Dick’s so sorry for your loss.
    I had planed on being at the reunion but a move from Alaska to Rapid city put plan B in place. Dick used to come to S.D. Pheasant
    hunting with his parents and we enjoyed having them many times.
    God Bless all of you
    Janize Foerster Nissen
    1036 mt Sprgs Lane
    Rapid city, S.D. 57702

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