Woodrow "Woody" M Glad

Woodrow Milton Glad, 91 years, died April 3, 2014 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND. He was born in Lancaster, MN December 8, 1922 to Martin and Mabel (Bremer) Glad. Following high school graduation in 1940, he hopped a train for Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota where he located a sleeping room, a job and registered for classes within 2 days. As a small town basketball star at Lancaster High, he had hoop dreams and briefly played ball on the U of M team. WWII interrupted University studies and he found himself as an army medic on Omaha Beach, Normandy June 6, 1944. Later he aided injured soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge, and took part in the liberation of Buchenwald in 1945. Upon returning from war, he resumed University classes in Minneapolis and also met his bride, Dorothy Ann Charlotte Miller. They were wed in 1947. Skelly Oil hired him for their management training program and he was transferred to Worthington, MN in 1950. Dorothy and Woody were becoming a part of the Worthington community and when travel and eventual transfers with Skelly were in their future, Woody grabbed the opportunity to become manager of the Worthington Medical Center. He relished his position as he was able to be an integral player in the growth from 9 doctors to over 20 doctors by the time he retired in 1984. The challenge to get doctors to a small town required strong ties with the University of Minnesota of which he initiated and maintained. Medical center staff had a low turnover rate and was loyal to the organization; although he often quipped that he, as a manager, was just smart enough to hire smarter people. He was active in the State Association of Medical Management serving as president in 1971-1972. Woody loved community involvement and service. He was a board member of the chamber of commerce, Worthington Savings and Loan, on the city council, on the area Health Service Agency board, president of the Kiwanis Club, active in local politics - definitely Republican, and his favorite, played Santa Claus for various Christmas parties and his grandchildren. Woody liked to be in front of a crowd especially espousing his rather droll sense of Scandinavian humor. After 23 years of watching other peoples' travel slides at Kiwanis Club, Woody put together his own slide presentation illuminating his tiny but illustrious hometown of Lancaster, MN. For a time, his Lancaster travelogue series was in hot demand in the Worthington community. After his retirement in 1984, he stayed active there and was commissioned by some future soccer moms to fundraise and organize a youth summer soccer league which he did while not knowing much about soccer. Woody was an active member at First Lutheran Church in Worthington throughout his Worthington years. He served in many capacities - board member, Sunday school organizer, board member of affiliated church/nursing home boards and on various committees. A move to Arizona in 1987 helped his golf game and with more time on his hands, he became active in the American Lutheran Church in Sun City. He served on the church board, helped establish a retreat center, and was active in St. Stephen's ministry where he gave financial, insurance advice and support to elderly in the area. Woody spent his final 8 years giving devoted support to wife, Dorothy, who was in a full care nursing center. He was with her every day - all lunches and dinners and every bedtime until she died last April 18, 2013. He moved to Grand Forks in November, 2013 to be closer to his daughters. During this time, with diminished purpose for living, nobody to take care of, and nothing to manage, he knew his time on earth was over. He maintained his sense of humor until the end - joking and bantering with medical and hospital staff and driving his family nuts. Woody is survived by daughters Marybeth (David) Vigeland and Pamela (James) Schutjer; sister Joan Hugill; grandchildren Joseph (Heather) Klein, Anna (John) Sommer, Elliot Schutjer and Aaron Schutjer; 3 great grandchildren. A service celebrating Woody's life will be held April 18, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at American Lutheran Church in Sun City, AZ. Memorials preferred to American Lutheran Church, 17200 Del Webb Blvd in Sun City, AZ 85373.