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Glenn Ufkes

December 23, 2021
Winter Haven, FL

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Glenn Gordon Ufkes, 86, of Winter Haven, Florida passed away on December 23, 2021, after a brief illness. He joins his parents Frederick and Lila Caswell Ufkes, his wife, Catherine Johnson Ufkes and son John Eric Johnson, who preceded him in death. Glenn was born on November 13, 1935 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After starting college in Michigan, he joined the U.S. Navy and served from 1957-1961. There, he was trained and obtained the skills to carry out his life's work as an electrical engineer. He also met, fell in love with and married a young widow with three children. Together, they would add 2 more kids to the clan. Kitty and Glenn raised Keith Johnson (Pam), Eric Johnson, Karen Ellen Johnson, Beth Comerford (David) and Gordie (Beth), and Glenn watched them grow and flourish and have families of their own. Glenn looked back on his time in the Navy, and was thankful for the chance to serve. He was continually praising and thanking anyone who served, was serving and was about as ardent a patriot as one could find. His training led him to a career with contract work supporting the CIA, Missile Defense Agency, Homeland Security and NASA. Glenn supervised projects working with Polaris, Poseidon and Trident ICBMs at Dam Neck, being stationed at a listening post during the Cold War at Point Barrow, Alaska (CIA), working with AEGIS defense systems at NSWC Dahlgren, retrofitting nuclear submarine missile tubes for SEAL delivery, with the SDI (Star Wars) program for missile defense, and with NASA at Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Glenn obtained 2 Bachelor degrees and a Masters Degree from the George Washington University. He worked several jobs continually for years to provide for his family. He was a college professor, sold real estate, and for a period of time he owned and operated the Real Estate Institute of Virginia Beach. He spent most of his time with his family and took solace in the game of golf. While never a master of the craft, he was quick to point out his 7 holes-in-one. Yet even on those luckiest of days, even breaking 80 was an anomaly. It was never about the scorecard for Glenn, just playing the game. He was always the fun one-with 5 kids and a government salary, Glenn continually surprised the family with trips, a new bike, concert tickets, or whatever was the new fad. He knew how to live life. Later in life, he was fortunate to partner up with Joyce Atkinson Phillips. She was widow from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where they met over a golf game. Together, they traveled the world. Trips to Alaska, Europe, Russia, the Caribbean were commonplace. She is a much better golfer, and was a perfect match for Glenn. They relocated to central Florida and spent his last years in the Swiss Golf and Tennis Club community. He had 15 years with Joyce, the best years of his life. Glenn is survived by, Joyce, his children and their children Lisa Corbin (Kenny), Nick Ells (Kelli), Michael Glascock (Chrystal), Ashley Paige Glascock, Sean Comerford (Jessica), Erin Comerford Walker (Jared), Margaret Catherine Ufkes and Luke Ufkes. And those kids provided him with 12 great-grand children. Not bad for a skinny kid from Kalamazoo. A celebration of Life will be held Saturday, February 5, 2022 at the Swiss Golf & Tennis Club Clubhouse in Winter Haven, FL. Another will be held at Star of the Sea Catholic Church Virginia Beach, VA, TBA. Glenn lived a full and rich life. From years of sailing, traveling the world, seeing his family grow and finding love again, it was time for him to rest. When a stroke left him far from his best, he took a few days with his family at his side, and said goodbye. Those last days were filled with laughter, sarcasm, humor and tears. He spent time telling stories of family adventures, expressing his love, receiving love and one cautionary tale: if you find yourself on liberty in Spain, don't get drunk with a few buddies and get thrown out of a bull fight by rooting for the bull. It does not go over well. "Fair Winds and Following Seas"