Mary Thelma Glenn

Glenn, Mary ThelmaMary Thelma Glenn, 105, entered into eternal glory on January 29, 2015 at Christ the King Manor, DuBois. Born on August 6, 1909 at the Glenn Hotel in Corsica, she was the daughter of Fred and Maude (Hagerty) Glenn.

Thelma graduated with high honors from Corsica Academy in 1927 and earned a teaching certificate from Clarion State Normal School.

She spent the Depression years teaching, first at one-room schools in Dutch Hill, Belltown and Zimmerman Hill and later at the Corsica-Union grade school.

She then taught in the Hubbard, Ohio school system.

During the war years, Thelma worked a second job as a welder on Sherman tanks at the Federal Machine and Welder factory.

Thelma received further training at the Bible School in Philadelphia and the Princeton Theological Seminary.

In 1942, she began work for the Board of Christian Education and National Board of Missions of the now Presbyterian Church (USA), Brunswick, NJ. Her first assignment was the San Miguel Presbyterian Mission School where she taught Navajo children.

Thelma was then assigned to Anchorage, Alaska where she was director of Christian Education.

She traveled throughout the state and helped establish mission chapels. During this time, Thelma also formed a ministry at the US Air Force Base at Elmendorf Field. For these efforts, she was awarded the Chaplain Medallion by the US Air Force Chaplain Service in 2009.

Over the next 25 years, Thelma traveled throughout the Far West representing the Presbyterian General Assembly as an education consultant. She trained teachers and established Christian teaching curriculums for hundreds of Presbyterian churches using unique and innovative instruction methods. In her later capacity as Traveling Assistant to the Board of the General Assembly, Thelma’s travels took her to Europe, the Vatican and Jerusalem. In retirement, she lived in Santa Monica, CA and Hays, KS before settling in DuBois.

Thelma was baptized and grew up in the Corsica Pisgah Presbyterian Church. In her youth, she was active in church evangelism including mission trips to inner cities. Later, she served as a lay minister and gave gospel radio broadcasts.

More recently, she was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of DuBois where she wrote monthly articles for the church newsletter. Her knowledge and interpretation of the Scriptures was both prodigious and insightful.

Thelma was a vital and committed Christian whose spirit touched many hearts and minds.

As a lifelong educator and devoted servant, she was a living example of faithful Christian service. To her family, Thelma was known as “Ta,” a continuing source of love, guidance, humor and inspiration.

Surviving are five nieces and nine nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Paul Glenn and Harry Glenn; five sisters, Bernice Smith, Caroline Wachob, Wilta Lasher, Anna Rankin and Lois Glenn; three nephews and three nieces.

Friends will be received Tuesday, February 3, 2015 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Pisgah Presbyterian Church in Corsica, Pa. with the funeral service following at 11:00 a.m. at the church. The Rev. James Dietrich will officiate.

Burial will follow in the Pisgah Cemetery in Corsica, Pa.

Arrangements are by McKinney Funeral Home, Brookville.

Contributions in Thelma’s memory can be made to Pisgah Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 243, Corsica, PA 15829; First Presbyterian Church of DuBois, 43 West Scribner Ave., DuBois, PA 15801 or DuBois Public Library, 31 South Brady Street, DuBois, PA 15801.


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