Ralph Edward Glauert
Ralph Edward Glauert is remembered by his wife, Jean, as an accomplished, intelligent individual who loved history as well as national parks.
“He had a great love for the outdoors,” his wife said. “He really liked to travel and enjoyed his family very much.”
During the summer, Mr. Glauert would work as a ranger historian for the National Park Service at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, home of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. He and his family visited more than 200 national parks and monuments.
Mr. Glauert married his wife Jean Perry in 1951, and the pair traveled to all 50 states in the U.S. throughout their lives. At the age of 44, the couple began skiing and went on annual trips for 30 years. He loved to camp, canoe, hike and climb with his family. One year, the couple drove to Alaska and another year traveled the Oregon Trail.
“It took us one month to reach Oregon City after taking the trail,” Glauert said. “Oh, it was beautiful alright.”
Mr. Glauert of Columbia died Sunday, July 13, 2008, after a lengthy illness. He was 81.
Mr. Glauert was born Dec. 17, 1926, in St. Louis to Edward and Ellanore (Mueller) Glauert. He grew up in north St. Louis County and attended school in the Normandy School District, graduating from Normandy High School in 1944. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and worked several summers at Camp Irondale. In August 1944, Mr. Glauert joined the U.S. Navy and upon his discharge in 1946, he attended Central College in Fayette. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1949 and went on to obtain his master’s degree in history from Washington University in St. Louis. Mr. Glauert joined the faculty at MU’s College of Education in 1966 and taught there until his retirement in 1985. He earned a doctorate in history in 1973.
Mr. Glauert is survived by his wife; two children, Howard Glauert of Lexington, Ky., and Barbara D’Souza of Rockford, Ill.; a sister, Ruth Herron of Belleville, Ill.; a daughter-in-law, Jody Glauert of Ashland; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A son, Edward, died in 2004.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Robinson Funeral Home, 601 N. Henry Clay Blvd., in Ashland. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, and burial will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Community Hospices of America, 3600 I-70 Drive S.E. #100, Columbia, MO 65201, or to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065.
