Glenn James Meredith - My Dad

GLENN JAMES MEREDITH

Ethel, Glenn and Ernest Meredith

Robert on the left and Glenn on the right with their cousins.  Notice how my dad, Glenn, is standing with his hand on his hip.  That is something I distinctly remember him doing when he was an adult.  

Glenn, Ernest, Miriam, Robert

My Dad never talked about his children in specifics.  I remember once he told us that for Christmas all he got was a piece of slate and chalk.  Being a farmer was not an easy life and he and his brother, Robert, had to help out on the farm from a young age. 

 This is my dad in high school.  Not sure how much he really enjoyed school.  I know he would have preferred to be on a tractor somewhere.  He did meet my mom, Margaret Burge at school though.  When they were first married he was a farmer.  He and his brother and his father had formed a corporation under which they did their farming.  We raised cattle as well as growing crops of corn and soy beans.

I loved being raised on a farm.  I loved to drive the tractor/wagon to feed the cattle.  Mom and I and my sister would always take dinner out to dad in the field when they would be in the field long hours out planting and harvesting.

We, as children, had no idea how little we had compared to others, but our parents always managed to keep us in nice clothes and be able to give us birthday presents and Christmas presents.

I remember my parents spending many weekends playing pinochle with friends.
They had so much fun.

While I was in high school our town celebrated its Centennial.  My dad was asked to help with the production of the pageant since he worked at the Krannert Center for Performing Arts at the University of Illinois.  He worked as a stage hand, sound board, scenery,  He loved this job so much.  I remember my high school spanish class going there to see Don Quixote on stage and my Dad gave us all a tour back stage after the show.  I remember him taking me with him so I could see shows from the wings.  I remember watching Duke Ellington and Charlie Brown.  So exciting.  Probably when I got the theatre bug.  

My Dad had a soft spot in his heart for this country.  He loved his God, his Country, and his family.  He was easily moved to tears when listening to patriotic music and hymns.  He loved his children was always wanting them to have religion in their lives.  I remember getting him interested in genealogy work and he really took off with it.