Loren Glenn Waller

Loren Glenn Waller was born in Stewartsville, Mo., DeKalb County, Missouri, on Sept. 20, 1924. His parents, both school teachers before becoming farmers, were Clarence and Eula D. (Wilkinson) Waller. Glenn attended Lone Oak and Ash Grove rural schools and graduated from Stewartsville high school in 1942.

At the University of Missouri he was active in a number of campus organizations and honoraries and was president of his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Sigma. His college career was interrupted by 3 1/2 years in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He was discharged as a 1st lieutenant in 1946 from a bomber squadron that served in Central and South America.

At MU he met Betty Ausman, whom he married at Pierre, SD on June 14, 1949. They became the parents of two sons, Stephen and Jeffrey. Among the proudest moments in his life were when both sons became Eagle Scouts and later both attained the rank of colonel in the Air Force.

In 1954 he joined the Air National Guard at Rosecrans Field, where he served until his retirement as a lieutenant colonel in 1972. With the Guard he made numerous trips to Vietnam during the conflict there and in Japan, Germany, Spain, Australia, and Alaska.

He was a lifelong Methodist having been baptized at Culbertson Chapel UMC at Stewartsville as a 12 year old boy. He served as a delegate to the church's annual conference for 25 years and was District Lay Leader of the Northwest and Pony Express Districts for 17 years. He was a delegate to Jurisdictional and General Conferences four times. He was a member of the board of directors of Wesley Foundation at Missouri Western State University. In the Oregon UM Church he has been board chairman, a Sunday school teacher, and with Betty was sponsor of the youth fellowship for 22 years.

He was a past president of the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts, past chairman of the Otoe District and past presiding chieftain of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a holder of the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor for a volunteer leader, and the District Award of Merit. He was a member of the Council Advisory Board.

He was a past Oregon city councilman and a past president of the Oregon Kiwanis Club and a member since 1954. He was a life member of Holt County Memorial Post 4839 of the VFW and a member of the Harris E. Petree post 190 of the American Legion.

A former County Agricultural Agent with the University of Missouri in Lafayette, Chariton, and Holt Counties, he owned and managed the grain elevator at Fortescue from 1957-1967. He retired from the investment and insurance business in 2002.

He enjoyed working in his yard, reading, and drinking coffee with his friends every morning. Glenn and Betty moved to St. Joseph in March, 2010.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Marion D. Waller. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, his sons, Stephen and his wife Jane, Washington, DC, and Jeffrey and his wife Kathy, Spring Hill, KS; five grandchildren, the Rev. Kerry Waller and her husband Ben Dueholm, Chicago, IL, Alex Waller and his wife, Lindsay, Overland Park, KS; Katie Ward-Waller and her husband, David Palmer, Alexandra, VA; Jean Ward-Waller, Washington, DC; and Chelsea Ward-Waller; Washington, DC, and great-grandchildren Ava Waller and Soren Dueholm; and his sister-in-law, Charlene Waller, Mesa, AZ, and Betty's sister, Nancy Thomas of Pierre, SD.

Services were held on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 at 11:00 am at the Oregon United Methodist Church. Inurnment will full military rites were held at the Maple Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts, or the Oregon United Methodist Church Foundation Missionary Fund or General Endowment Fund.