Glen Melvin Noonan

Glen Melvin Noonan
MAPLE CITY — Glen Melvin Noonan, 87, of Maple City, passed away at his home on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, with his loving family by his side.
Glen was born on November 26, 1926 at the family home in Kasson Township to the late Charles Samuel and Lula Fay (Ashmore) Noonan.
Glen married Ella Montgomery on Sept. 25, 1948, in Vale, Oregon. Together they raised seven wonderful children.
After a stint in the Merchant Marines, which took him to places like Russia, Turkey and the Black Sea, he and a friend headed west. He first worked on an uncle's Nebraska potato farm, then harvested wheat in Kansas, and later worked in Idaho's sugar beet fields. His travels only made him more aware of how much Leelanau County meant to him. After returning to Leelanau County, he and Ella made their home. He was a life time farmer and conservationist. Of their 1,200 acres, over half is now preserved forever through the Leelanau County Land Conservancy after his donation in 2012.
Glen was a member of the Empire Methodist Church. He was a past president of the Michigan Milk Producers Association. He was also a long time member of the Michigan Farm Bureau. In his younger years, he was president of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a past member of the Michigan Livestock Association, a member of the Kasson Grange, the Traverse City Elks, the Leelanau County Road Commission for 43 years, earning him the title of longest serving commissioner in the state of Michigan, the Leelanau County Prospectors Club, the Empire Masonic Lodge # 597 and the Shriners of Empire and Traverse City. Glen was also a King Lion and past charter member of the Cedar Maple City Lions Club. In recent years, he donated his land for their annual Christmas Tree sale with proceeds to benefit the works of the club. He also served as the president of the Old Settlers Picnic Association for over 40 years. Glen also enjoyed participating and supporting 4 H.
In his spare time, Glen enjoyed being in the woods and playing cards, especially euchre. He was a dedicated preservationist of our beautiful land and the forests in Leelanau County. Family was the most important thing to Glen and he cherished their annual picnics.
Glen was preceded in death by his beloved Wife of 62 years Ella, brothers Franklin, Charles, Carl, Garnet, sister Muriel Baetz, Doris Dechow, Ethel Furst, Irma Seymour, and Lucy Petelle.
Glen is survived by his children, Robert Wayne (Carolyn) Noonan, Helen Louise (Donald) Case, Glen Russell (Sherry) Noonan, David Mark (Sandra) Noonan, Roger Clark (Beth) Noonan, Carl Francis (Diane) Noonan and Frederick Charles (Karen) Noonan; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; sister Cynthia Monroe and many other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be held for Glen on Friday, September 12 from 2 - 8 pm at the Empire United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday September 13, 2014, at Empire United Methodist Church with a visitation held one hour prior. Burial will take place at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Michigan, Empire United Methodist Church, or the Cedar Maple City Lions Club.
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the team at Hospice of Michigan for their outstanding care and compassion.