Mary C Glockhoff

Mary started her new career singing with the Heavenly Host on Monday, December 17, just nine days before her 100 th birthday. She was born in Clinton, Iowa, the second child of Clarence Francis Bager and Joan Johnstone Bager. The family moved to Rock Island in 1933. Mary graduated from Rock Island High School in 1935 at the age of 16.  She worked for Illinois Bell Telephone Co. from 1935 to 1946 and left as business manager of the Rock Island office.  She married Roy H. Glockhoff on June 17, 1945 and became a homemaker in East Moline to raise “a half a dozen kids”. Mary has been a resident at Friendship Manor since 2007.    She studied voice at Cassling Studio in Davenport and attended Augustana College, studying music and religion. She later received an associate’s degree from Blackhawk College. In 1945 Mary was chosen the best female singer in the Mississippi Valley Music Contest.  She used her vocal talents singing at 1 st Congregational Church in Moline and Temple Emanuel in Davenport for over forty years.  Mary was a board member of the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra Association and sang in a women’s quartet called the “Hemi Demi Semi Quavers”. An ardent “Club Lady” she served as President of the PTA, Women’s Club of East Moline, Rock Island Federation of Women’s Clubs, Music Chair of the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs, and State Chair of International Affairs for the Women’s Clubs.  This led her to be involved in the establishment of Sao Paulo, Brazil as a sister city to the state of Illinois in the mid 1970’s.  Roy and Mary travelled to Brazil in 1975 and 1976 to help establish women and children’s clinics among other humanitarian missions. As state music chair she produced and supplied a songbook for Women’s Clubs across Illinois. After retiring from singing at 1 st Congregational and Temple Emanuel, she spent more time at the family church, First Presbyterian in East Moline, but soon she was called out of retirement to be soloist and section leader at Broadway Presbyterian in Rock Island for another 10 years.  During those 10 years she also worked part time at local hospital switchboards. Mary was preceded in death by her husband Roy, her granddaughter Ivy, and her three sisters: Beverly Adlfinger, Nancy Carleton, and Jackie Barrett.  She is survived by her six children: Carolyn (Mike Dick) Glockhoff, San Diego, Ca.; Paul Glockhoff, Silvis; Gary (Kristin) Glockhoff, Cedar Rapids; Gail (Jamie) Glockhoff-Long, Davenport; Julia Glockhoff, Rock Island; Joanna (Brad) Dye, Moline. She has four grandchildren: Naomi (Jeff) Ballard of Moline; Elizabeth (Tim) Tesar of Norwalk, Iowa; Jared Dye and Derek Dye of St. Petersburg, Florida; and five great-grandchildren: Hayley Gilbert, Grier Ballard, Harper Ballard, Theodore Tesar and Madeleine Tesar. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 21 at 1 st Presbyterian Church of East Moline, IL.  Friends are invited to visit with family members at Wendt’s Funeral Home in Moline, IL on Thursday, December 20 from 4 to 6 p.m., or one hour before services Friday at the church. Memorials may be made to Friendship Manor in Rock Island, IL or 1 st Presbyterian Church in East Moline, IL.

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