Bill Dean

Glenn and I became the best of friends from about ages of 9 or 10, when he and his brother Russell moved into our neighborhood.  His house was on Minnetonka Boulevard just beyond the Y intersection, where Lake Street and Minnetonka Blvd. split. The Pastime Arena was directly behind his home. and he lived directly across the street from the Jarosaks, where our classmate Vern and his 5 brothers lived.

Glenn and I spent countless hours together, biking, playing games, exchanging stories, planning our futures, hiking in the woods and doing all the things kids did in the late forties and fifties.  He built a treehouse in the woods behind his house, and we smoked our first cigarettes together there!  Ugh.  I would often go over to his house and play chess with his brother, who was smart as a whip and would usually win our games.  Glenn didn't play chess, but he was so proud of his brother and would watch us play and loved it when Russ checkmated me.

We both took up the trombone together and both played in the band throughout high school.  As it turned out, he took it more seriously than I did, and it became the basis for his later career in music, which was distinguished.  We also enjoyed amateur radio got our ham licenses about the same time, along with Tommy Martin, another classmate who lived in the neighborhood.

Over the years our paths diverged.  But we always stayed in touch and when, on occasion, we would see each other at reunions, all the memories of our childhoods together once again would come to the surface. We always enjoyed reminiscing.about those times. 

in retirement, we both established homes in Arizona; Glenn on a permanent basis, I only parttime.  But in the last few years we usually found time to squeeze in a round of golf together once every year or two.

Glenn was a cherished and dear friend to me and to so many others.  I was shocked when I learned of his passing.  I will miss him greatly.  My deepest condolences to Marian.

RIP, Glenn, my dearly loved buddy.

Posted on: Sep 01, 2023 at 3:33 AM

I grew up just down the street with Vern and his younger brother Denny.  One summer the three of us went to Camp Patterson on Lake Washington, near Mankato, where we spent a week.  It was the first camping experience for all of us.  We were probably about 9 or 10.  Before checking into the camp, we stayed for one night at my Grandmother's home in North Mankato.  We shared a big rollaway bed.  Vern said he wanted to teach both Denny and I a game he had learned called "Squirrel"  We asked him how the game was played.  He said, "Simple, I am the squirrel, and I grab for nuts."  After which we both shrieked as he started the game.  I leave it to your imagination what happed.  I have never forgotten that, needless to say.  Vern and Denny both remained friends of mine through the years.  Vern outlived his younger brother by at least 6 or 7 years.  We shared a good laugh about the camping exprience when we saw each other at our 50th.  By the way, Steve Sjordahl lived in the same neighborhood and we all played a lot of games during the summers at Sunshine Park at 29th and Vernon Avenue, where everyone hung out when the parks program was running.

Posted on: Sep 01, 2022 at 3:33 AM

When I entered the fifth grade at Fern Hill School in St. Louis Park, the first classmate I met was Donnie Andersen.  He actually lived right next door to the school on 28th St.  I will never forget how friendly he was and how he made me feel welcome to the neighborhood almost immediately.  We became friends and spent many hours talking about baseball, especially about the Minneapolis Millers, the Triple A team in Mpls. at the time.  We also spent a lot of time on the softball field in the school yard.  Our interests diverged somewhat as we grew older, and the friendship wasn't especially close in later years, but I will never forget his kindness during those years at Fern Hill.

Posted on: Feb 24, 2021 at 10:10 AM

Birthday greetings, Glenn. Hope to see you in AZ before your next birthday! I'm in MN, but returning to AZ next Tuesday.

Happy Birthday, Vern. Many happy memories from our childhoods growing up near the Y intersection!

Posted on: Sep 01, 2020 at 3:33 AM

So sad to learn of the passing of Bob Oas.  I knew him fairly well early on, as we were in Boy Scouts together and were classmates, of course.  He was always very friendly to me.  We lived a few blocks apart, but close enough that we often saw each other as kids and whenever we were together he always had a smile for everyone. My heartfelt condolences to all his close friends and family.   RIP, Bobby.
 

Posted on: Sep 01, 2015 at 3:34 AM