Glen H Haywood

Glen. H. Haywood, born to Maud M. and Rufus H. Haywood in Marquette, Kan. in 1921, Glen grew up on the family wheat and cattle farm just outside Marquette. Though he loved the land, Glen was captivated by the sounds and sights of early airplanes that might occasionally fly overhead near the family farm. As a result, he took a job with Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, working as a welder to build military aircraft, and when war broke out, he quickly enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Demonstrating high proficiency as a pilot, he served for part of the war as a flight instructor, but went on to serve as a combat B-24 bomber pilot, flying thirty five combat missions in Europe and North Africa, as a member of the 15th Air Force. He was awarded several medals for valor, including three Air Medals. Shortly before his discharge from the Air Corps in 1945, he married his high school sweetheart, Gussie Helmig, who preceded him in death. They had two children, Ryan H. (Linda) and Shane H. (Denise) who survive him; and had five grandchildren, one of whom (Brendan H. Haywood) preceded Glen in death. The whole family, including his surviving grandchildren, Colin H. Haywood, Evan H. Haywood, Michelle (Scott) Shanks and Lee H. (Kerry) Haywood greatly admired Glen, learned from him much of humility and humanity and will miss him very much. Glen's working career after military service was in the railway maintenance equipment business, selling, providing field service for and design ideas related to, heavy equipment used to construct and maintain railroads. His inventive genius in this area eventually led to U.S. patent recognition. He loved nothing more than "tinkering" in his shop, inventing new, interesting, and sometimes exciting (especially for the occasionally frightened neighbors!) new gadgets. A favorite story involves the time in the 1950s that he managed to start a small jet engine in his workshop … but forgot to include a means to shut it off. People came from blocks away to investigate the terrible noise. He loved to read, was an avid student of history, especially military history and liked to tax his mind with crossword puzzles. He was also a consummate story teller, enjoyed traveling with a friend and was absorbed by televised football. Over the course of his postwar life, he lived primarily in Little Rock, Ark., Ludington, Mich.; Chicago, Ill., and Ann Arbor, Mich., where he passed away on July 2, 2010, of complications after open heart surgery. A memorial service will be held in the Chapel of the First United Methodist Church of Little Rock, Ark., on Aug. 7, 2010 at 10 a.m. The family requests that in lieu of donations or flowers, that those who knew and cared for Glen hug a friend, feed a stranger, make someplace more beautiful. Arrangements by Muehlig Funeral Chapel.