Bill A. “Coach” Glazier, 92, passed away Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, surrounded by family in his apartment at the Villas of Hollybrook in Chatham.
Bill was born on August 29, 1928, in Brandsville, the middle of three sons of Vernice and Mildred (Beu) Glazier.
As a youth, Bill’s family moved to Mountain Grove. In Mountain Grove, Bill engaged in scouting and eventually earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Bill’s mother instilled in him an appreciation for music and he learned to play the piano as well as the slide trombone. Bill’s passion was sports. In high school, Bill excelled in football and was recruited to play football at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. While attending Missouri State, Bill was a four-year letter winner in football and in track and field. After receiving his B.S. degree from Missouri State in the spring of 1950, Bill started his teaching and football coaching career at St. Agnes High School in Springfield. Bill also pursued and earned his master’s degree in education at Drury College.
On Feb. 16, 1952, Bill married his college love, Peggy Lee Haley, of Neosho. Together, Bill and Peggy raised three children, Mike, Jan, and John, in a tight-knit happy home. The couple instilled in their children the love of family.
Bill served his country in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954 and was a veteran of the Korean War. Following military service, Bill resumed his teaching and coaching career, first at Aurora High School, then at Mexico High School, both in Missouri, and finally at Eastridge High School in Kankakee, Ill.. Bill mentored numerous high school athletes, many of whom obtained athletics scholarships for college with the benefit of his coaching and bettered their lives through education. Several of Bill’s assistant coaches went on to successful careers on their own and remained lifelong friends.
After retiring from coaching, Bill became an avid golfer, highlighted by a golf trip to Scotland in 1995. He also became an avid boater on the Kankakee River. His position in the captain’s seat of the Glazier family ski boat brought countless hours of fun to the family and delight to his grandchildren.
Bill lost Peggy, his wife of 37 years, in 1989 when she succumbed to cancer. Soon thereafter, Bill retired from teaching in Kankakee and began spending winter months in Palm Beach County, Fla. While in Florida, Bill met Mary Weisner and in 1995 they married. Together, they had many active retirement years in southern Florida and in Mary’s hometown of Syracuse, N.Y. Mary preceded Bill in death in 2016.
Bill lived the final five years of his life in Chatham near his son John.
In addition to his family, football, and golf, Bill loved a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, an occasional lunch or dinner of livers and gizzards, a serving of ice cream at any time, and his regular evening glass of Scotch whisky.
Bill was a lifelong member of the Methodist church and a man of quiet faith.
Of all Bill’s accomplishments, the greatest was the fact that his grandchildren truly cherished their time with their beloved “Grandpa.”
Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Peggy; second wife, Mary; his parents; and brothers, Bob and Bud Glazier.
He is survived by his children, Mike (Sarah) Glazier of Leawood, Kan., Jan (Rob) Pitcairn of Olathe, Kan., and John (Becky) Glazier of Chatham; stepson, Donald (Paula) Greenwood of Jamesville, N.Y.; grandchildren, Andy Glazier of Prairie Village, Kan., Ben Glazier of Chicago, Caitlin (James) Brunette of Prairie Village, Kan., Haley Pitcairn of Prairie Village, Kan., Brant Pitcairn of Atlanta, Ga., Alyssa Glazier of Chatham, Christopher Wells of Murphysboro, Teresa Greenwood and Donald Greenwood, Jr. of Jamesville, N.Y., and Parker Greenwood of Syracuse, N.Y.; great-grandchild, Sadie Brunette of Prairie Village, Kan.; sister-in-law, Shirley Glazier of Buffalo; cousin, Joanna Williams of Springdale, Ark.; and several grand-nieces and nephews.
A private graveside ceremony will be held in Dice Cemetery in Fairview.
In lieu of flowers, memorials for Bill may be donated to the cause of the donor’s choice.
Cremation was provided by Lincoln Land Cremation Society.
All are welcome to visit lincolnlandcs.com to offer condolences.
