Glen William Gerring

December 31, 1922 - January 27, 2015

Glen W. Gerring, born on December 31, 1922, passed away on January 27, 2015 at his South Boardman, Michigan home. Glen was the youngest of eight children born to the late Robert and Mable (Brown) Gerring. He attended grammar school in South Boardman and graduated from Kalkaska High School in 1941. On January 14, 1944, Glen married the former Helga Rolle of South Boardman. Together they celebrated sixty-nine years of marriage before Helga’s death in 2013. During WWII, Glen piloted A-20 and A-26 aircraft and completed 65 combat missions in the European Theater of Operations with the 9th Air Force. Glen was a Lifetime Member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 working as a heavy equipment operator until his retirement in 1985. The skills he developed as a pilot and crane operator carried over into his everyday life where attention to detail was key to all he did. Dedication to his family and community were Glen’s highest priorities. He was a former Trustee on the Boardman Township Board. He was a 70 year member of the American Legion with 68 of those years as a Charter Member of the Gardner-Neihardt Post #463 in South Boardman. He was a Lifetime Member of Kalkaska VFW Post 8684. In 1947 Glen was raised as a Master Mason in the Kalkaska Lodge #332 F&AM, becoming a Lifetime Member there in September 1987. He was merged into East Bay Lodge #264 F&AM in December 1987. Glen was also a member of Royal Arch Masons Chapter #102, Traverse City Commandery No.41, Scottish Rite Valley of Traverse City, and Scottish Rite Valley of Grand Rapids. Glen was a member of the 409th Bomb Group Association and attended many WWII Reunions with his fellow members of the 642nd Squadron. It was the privilege of his family to have joined him over the years at reunions across the United States. Glen and his family welcomed the 409th to Traverse City in 2008 where they hosted the second to the last reunion for the Association. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will have stories to pass on for years to come. Surviving are daughters, Greta Sheffer Hall of South Boardman and Marilyn Graham of Sonora, CA, son-in-law Elwin Hall, sisters-in-law Peggy Gerring of South Boardman and Grace Wood of Kalkaska. Grandchildren are Michael (Terri) Sheffer, Anne Sheffer, Gerrin (Kristen) Graham, Hilary Graham, Brett (Happiness) Hall , and Amber (Jason) McGuigan. Great grandchildren include Aubrey, Soren-Mikel, Braedon, and Eowyn Sheffer; Gemma and Mable Graham; Quentin, Roman and Hunter Porterfield; and Joshua and Caitlyn Hall. He also leaves thirty nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and wife, Glen was preceded in death by siblings, Leslie Gerring, Juanita Gerring, Marjorie Gerring, Wendell Gerring, Frances Olin, Gretchen Greenhoe, Imogene Gerring and sons-in-law Curtis Graham and Robert Sheffer. Services will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, May 18, 2015 at the South Boardman United Methodist Church, 5488 Dagle St., South Boardman, MI 49680. Burial will follow at Boardman Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to American Legion Post #463, the South Boardman United Methodist Church, or the Forest Area Community Schools Band program. Arrangements entrusted to Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cremation Services.