A Celebration of Life: Dr. Cecil Evans Glenn December 18, 1938 - December 18, 2019

On December 18th, 2019, the Lord granted Dr. Cecil Evans Glenn his final wish on his birthday, a Glorious Homecoming.

EARLY LIFE and CAREER

Cecil Evans Glenn was born on December 18th, 1938, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Mrs. Elnora Glenn. In 1957, he graduated from Pearl High School in Nashville, Tennessee and matriculated to Tennessee State University, where he was a member of the renowned TSU Tiger Sharks swimming team and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1962. It was there he met the future love of his life, Lucille Browning of Tuskegee, Alabama.

Shortly after graduation, Cecil moved to Chicago, Illinois and Lucille soon followed. They were married on January 23, 1965. In 1966, Cecil‘s firstborn son, Cecil LaVel arrived, followed in 1970 by the birth of Gerald Lamar. During this time, Cecil received his Master of Arts Degree from Northwest Illinois State College. With new opportunities on the horizon, Cecil relocated his family to Denver, Colorado.

COMMITTED TO EDUCATION

Cecil’s dedication and affinity to teaching continued as he received his Doctorate in Education from the University of Colorado on May 21, 1976. Soon after, Dr. Cecil Glenn became the permanent and founding Director/Dean of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado Denver, where he was committed to producing successful graduates.

There, Dr. Glenn became a shining pillar of hope in the progress of disenfranchised members of the community, striving to obtain a college education. He is responsible for countless students receiving their degrees and positively impacting the lives of those less fortunate.

DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY

As a Community Activist, Dr. Glenn was a plaintiff in the Park Hill Airport Lawsuit in 1981. He worked alongside city officials to highlight the dangers of Stapleton International Airport residing in the middle of his community. He worked with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his administration to close Stapleton Airport and move it further east, where today it sits as Denver International Airport (DIA).

Dr. Glenn was also a significant leader in his beloved Denver community, serving on the Boards of the Denver Urban League, the Mayor's Mental Health Advisory Committee, the Archdiocese of Denver, and the Colorado Minorities in Engineering Association.

PROLIFIC and BELOVED

Retired in 1996, Dr. Glenn (an avid music lover) was blessed to see his oldest son, Cecil, and childhood friend Steve Gibson (Tag Team) produce the #1 hit single Whoomp! There It Is. While being witness to his youngest son Gerald and future daughter-in-law (Falona) receive their Doctoral Degrees in Dentistry and establish the Glenn Smile Center Dental Practice. With the birth of two beautiful granddaughters, Lindsey and Lauryn, and a new vigor for life, Dr. Glenn’s primary efforts went to teaching them the wisdom of his ancestors that shaped his life, as he loved them both dearly. He self-published a novel, ‘Pearl.‘ dedicated to his grandmother Pearl (Manier) Glenn, ensuring the family’s heritage will never be forgotten.

Although Dr. Glenn was retired, helping people was in his DNA. He went on to establish the Cecil Glenn Textbook Scholarship Program, distributing scholarships to disadvantaged students who could not afford to purchase their textbooks. This instrumental scholarship continues to grow with endowments from community leaders and the Denver community at large. Dr. Glenn’s support of Ethnic Studies has never wavered, and his legacy to Ethnic Studies at CU Denver is being made a permanent part of campus history with the Dr. Cecil Glenn endowed scholarship for Ethnic Studies Students.

How to donate:

To donate online, click the website link, and make your contribution. https://giving.cu.edu/fund/dr-cecil-glenn-scholarship-fund

Checks can be made out to:

University of Colorado Foundation. Include on the memo line of the check “gift is intended for the Cecil Glenn Scholarship, allocation number 0350160”

and mailed to:

ATTN: Ali Fernandez, University of Colorado Denver, Office of Advancement, 1380 Lawrence St. , Suite 1201, Denver, CO 80204.

A NOTE FROM HIS SONS

We were lucky to be loved and mentored by our father and to share him with so many beautiful people whom he mentored and brought into our world. He had a wonderful life and lived without regrets. We will be forever grateful for the lessons he taught his sons and the men he molded us to be. He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his mother: Elnora Glenn, Sister: Lottie Glenn and Nephew: Peter Glenn. Cecil leaves to cherish his memory: Loving and devoted wife of 54 years: Lucille Glenn. Two dedicated sons: Cecil Lavel Glenn of Atlanta, Georgia and Gerald Lamar (Falona) Glenn of Centennial, CO. Two beautiful Granddaughters: Lindsey Elnora Glenn and Lauryn Renae Glenn of Centennial, CO. Aunt: Priscilla Glenn of Nashville, Tennessee. First cousins: Katherine Glenn, Gladys Jean (Robert, Sr.) Mason, Linda (James, Jr.) Rose, Brenda Glenn, William Larry Glenn, Pastor Walter Lewis (Gail) Glenn, Bishop Adolph (Renee) Groves Jr. and Sheryl Glenn. Finally, a host of devoted friends; Janet Jordan, Phyllis Garcia, Eugene Bass, Sandy Sisson, William Vaughn, Thaddeus Flournoy, Laval & Cynthia Short, Terrance Kelly, Maurice Mendelsohn, Donna and Joe Martinez, Elizabeth Jones Griffith, Nadine Hill, Abe Gainer, Leslie Beasley, Osborne Roy, Ted & Paula Hayes, Eunice Brown and Dr. Horace & Barbara Huntley.

It is with sadness and joy, we say farewell to Dr. Cecil Evans Glenn.

Funeral Services will be held at Cure d'Ars Catholic Church 3201 Dahlia St, Denver, CO 80207 on Friday, January 3, 2020, at 11:00 AM.

Viewing will be held at Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary 2101 N Marion St, Denver, CO 80205 on Thursday, January 2, 2020, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.