At age 87 in Oregon, dementia ended Glen Wakefield’s earthly life. When and where the Union Pacific Railroad employed his father during the Great Depression defined Glen’s itinerant childhood, rotating between Salina, Cheyenne and Laramie. Following his parents’ divorce, his mother married Lyman Brown, a Wyoming game warden, moving Glen from city life to living out on an Almy ranch.
Glen’s employment began by delivering newspapers. At the end of each school day in Kemmerer, he reported for work at the original JC Penney “mother” store. After graduation in Evanston he worked underground on Wyoming’s Aspen Tunnel and Oregon’s Toketee Falls Tunnel.
Glen drove Laramie Taxi cabs his father and stepmother owned. Wyoming’s Agriculture Department employed him prior to him enlisting in the Navy. He served aboard the USS O’Brien DD725 at anchor in Korean waters. Afterwards, the GI Bill facilitated Glen attending Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, graduating in 1955. As a licensed electrician, Glen worked in Utah in industrial and construction settings.
He owned and operated an Idaho lighting equipment store, as well as residential and commercial electrical contracting business in the Sun Valley area from 1971-1979, prior to moving to Oregon. He then worked on construction projects before ending his career as a Port of Portland electrical inspector and staff engineer.
Like his father, Glen belonged to the Elks (Lodge No. 1989). Like his stepfather, Glen was an LDS Church member. Other passions included creating and working with his hands (sculpting, creating Halloween costumes, computer drafting “blueprints,” building decks); enjoying horses, cats, and dogs throughout his life, especially teaching dog training and competing in dog shows; dressing stylishly (loved wearing a Sunday suit and tie, a tuxedo when appropriate, dress shirt and slacks for lounging around); and being active (skiing, hunting, ice skating).
In his 80s Glen walked three miles daily, bowled in two senior leagues, and danced at least three times weekly until strokes in 2014 hastened his physical decline. He enjoyed his friends and varied activities at Courtyard Village Retirement Home and Elsie Stuhr Senior Center.
While on leave from the Navy, Glen married Bomell in Evanston, with whom he had daughter Deborah (Garry) Peterson of Nevada and son Robert (Connie) Wakefield of Utah. Later, living in Salt Lake City, he met and married Kay, who at the time had sons in preschool: Lew (Ivy) Yocom of Oregon and Tim (Cindy Yocom) of Utah. Late in life, in Beaverton, he married Lucille, who survives him along with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins and friends.
Glen was preceded in death by daughter Joan, who died at birth in 1956, as well as his parents and brother.
Interment occurs outdoors at 3 p.m. on Nov. 17, at Willamette National Cemetery. Memorial service occurs at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, in Garden Home LDS Church Building, 6605 SW Garden Home Road, Portland.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Glen’s memory are welcome to the Oregon Humane Society, 1067 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97211, www.oregonhumane.org; the Elsie Stuhr Foundation, 5550 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton, OR 97005, www.thprd.org; or The Salvation Army, specifying “Portland ARC,” 6855 NE 82nd Ave., Portland, OR 97220, www.salvationarmyusa.org.
Arrangements by www.finleysunsethills.com.
