Joyce Glaess

Helen Joyce (Anderson) Glaess, Age 96

Joyce was born at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL on May 13,1930 to Garfield J. and Helen C. (Knobloch) Anderson.

Joyce grew up a first generation American in Chicago, Illinois in a family that valued education and hard work. She graduated from Austin High School in the top 2% of her class and was a member of numerous honor societies as well as editor of her high school paper.

In June 1951, Joyce graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in both Chemistry and Mathematics from DePauw University. She worked at Armour Research Foundation in Chicago, IL as a Chemist. While working there, she met her future husband, Harvey. She continued her education earning a Master of Education from Northwestern University Chicago in 1956. After graduating, she taught at Bryant Elementary School in Chicago.

She married Harvey Glaess on September 21, 1957. After living in the Chicago area, she and Harvey lived in San Jose, CA and Carthage, IL before settling in Wisconsin. They built a house in Racine and lived there for over 50 years. After the death of her husband, she relocated to Minnesota to be near her children.

She was active in her church, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and American Association of University Women along with many volunteer jobs and her children’s activities. She had a lifelong love of reading (volunteering to teach adults to read and taking her children to the library). Joyce and Harvey spent their summers driving with their children to 49 of the 50 states (there is no bridge to Hawaii) and Canada. She also traveled to every continent.

She was proceeded in death by her husband Harvey, brother Garfield, daughter-in-law Teri and great-grandson Phil. She is survived by her children, Harvey (Pattey), David (Juli), Caroline (Tom) Waskow, Stephanie (David) Grove and J.D. (Cate), seventeen grandchildren Kelsey (Tyler), Emil (Taylor), Stacey (Andrew), Andrew, Allison, Hannah, Zoe, Edward, David, Kaesey (Sean), Grace, Zachary (Kami), Katherine, Christopher, Caroline, Jessica and Jonathan, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Visitation on Monday, October 5th at Miller-Reesman Funeral Home in Union Grove, WI 8-9 AM. Memorial service will begin at 9 am followed by internment at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery at 10 AM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local library.