Glenn Wyatt Ricketts was born June 4, 1920 on the family farm northwest of Osawatomie and departed this life on February 19, 2011 at the age of 90 years. He was the youngest of ten children born to Samuel Edward and Fanny Ellen (Singletary) Ricketts. His parents and all his brothers and sisters preceded him in death. Glenn attended elementary school at Wild Creek District #56 and also Osawatomie High School, graduating with the Class of 1938. During high school he worked for various businesses after school and on Saturdays. In 1941 he began work at the Missouri Pacific Railroad shop as a machinist apprentice. He remained an employee of the Missouri Pacific Railroad as a machinist until the shop closed in 1957. During World War II he served in the United States Army from November 1942 until June 1946. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations for eighteen months of that time and was engaged in the battle for Okinawa as an artillery forward observer with the 249th Field Artillery Battalion, 27th Infantry Division. Following the war and service with the railroad, he worked for JoMac Insurance Agency in Osawatomie, the Kansas Army National Guard in Ottawa, Kansas, and Vice President of First Federal Savings and Loan in Osawatomie, Kansas, retiring in 1981. After the war, he remained active in the Kansas National Guard, briefly in the Army Reserve, for a total of thirty years, retiring in 1973 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Osage Valley Lodge #24 AF & AM, Eastern Star Chapter #26, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, VFW Post #2258, and American Legion Post #204. He served on the Osawatomie Library Board, as a director of the Chamber of Commerce, and City Parks board. He and Catherine Cortner were married on September 19, 1944. They enjoyed just over 55 years of marriage. Mary died on October 4, 1999. He is survived by his daughter Ramalee Beck of Gladstone, Missouri; his son Steven and daughter-in-law Christine of Olathe and son Stanley and daughter-in-law Deanna of Tonganoxie, Kansas; eight grandchildren Ryan, Matthew, and Brett O'Rear, Lee, Kyle, Clinton Meredith and Courtney Ricketts; one great granddaughter Madison O'Rear, and his very dear companion June Higgins. Cremation. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, February 22, 2011 followed by a memorial service at 7 p.m., at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, Osawatomie, Kansas with military honors. Interment of the ashes will be at a later date in Osawatomie Cemetery. Memorials are to the Osawatomie First United Methodist Church.
Published in Kansas City Star on February 22, 2011