Glenn C. Wilcox reached out and touched the face of God on Nov. 5, 2023. His final days were spent surrounded by family and friends that were blessed to have Glenn in their lives.
Glenn was born Sept. 15, 1935, in Leavittsburg, Ohio, to Bernard and Estelle Wilcox.
He attended Rootstown High School, leaving school the end of his sophomore year, going to work to support his brothers and mother. He eventually began working at Chardon Rubber Company, in Chardon, where he faithfully walked into the same factory for almost 50 years.
He was the President of the United Rubber Workers Union, Local 557, for almost 20 years. Glenn was very passionate to fight for the benefits of the Chardon Rubber employees, ensuring they had a good pension program, medical benefits and safe working conditions.
After being at the plant for a number of years, he was offered the opportunity to get his Electrician’s Journeyman’s License by attending the Auburn Career Center on the weekends, to be trained as an electrician and then working in that career pathway for the remainder of his time at Chardon Rubber.
Glenn’s love of Jesus and sharing the gospel was evident throughout his life. He gave his heart to Jesus when he was young at Ravenna Church of the Nazarene. That is also the place where he met the love of his life, Mary Louise Peebles. They were married on May 8, 1955.
Glenn and his wife were very active both in Ravenna and then at Painesville Church of the Nazarene in Painesville. His lay ministry included teaching Junior Boys for many years, was an encourager to pastors, used his mechanical skills to do work at the church, and later being asked to serve as the President of the Nazarene Missons International, where he led the mission focus for the laity at Painesville Nazarene. He and his wife, Mary Lou, received the Nazarene Distinguished Service Award on Aug. 7, 2016, for their love of the Lord, and faithful leadership and servanthood to the church for almost 60 years.
In March 2019, Glenn and Mary Lou relocated to Jacksonville, N.C., to be closer to their Marine daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Jeff LeBlanc, as well as their great-grandchildren.
It was in Jacksonville that he became a member of Centerview Baptist Church, becoming involved with the men’s Sunday school class.
Glenn was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard Wilcox and Estelle Clifford; step-father, Alvin Clifford; infant son, Randall Glenn Wilcox; and brothers, Arthur and Donald Wilcox.
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou, of Jacksonville, N.C.; three daughters and their husbands, Kathleen and Ralph Hill, of Marion, Ohio, Diane and Jeff LeBlanc, of Jacksonville, N.C., and Pamela and Brian Summerville, of Goldsboro, N.C. He will also be lovingly missed by his four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Two services of Celebration of Life will be held. Services in Jacksonville will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Centerview Baptist. Visitation will be from 12-1 p.m.
The service in Ohio will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, with visitation from 12-1 p.m., at Painesville Church of the Nazarene.
Internment will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna.
The post Glenn C. Wilcox first appeared on Geauga County Maple Leaf.