Glater, Irving William
Irving William Glater, 95 years old, died August 26, 2022 at his home in Exeter with family beside him. "Bill" was predeceased by the love of his life, Phyllis Ann (Amazeen) Glater who died just over two months earlier on May 16, 2022 after 70 years together. He was also predeceased by his sister Eleanor (Glater) Steier, with whom he remained close with until her death in 2010.
Bill was born in Hartford, CT on March 25, 1927 to the late Sadie and David Glater. He joined the Army in July 1944 and served proudly in both WWII and the Korean conflict. When he was called back to service a second time, already smitten with his Phyllis, he proposed marriage and Phyllis joined him on the Army base in Germany for their first year of married life. Upon their return to the states, they welcomed and raised their five children in their home in West Hartford, CT for about 50 years.
Through the GI Bill, Bill earned his Metallurgical Engineering degree from Colorado School of Mines, a lifelong affiliation he cherished. He worked as a Senior Metallurgist and Senior Materials Engineer for United Aircraft, Hamilton Standard, Sikorsky Aircraft, Turbo Power & Marine Systems and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group over 25 years before becoming a private metallurgical consultant. He was a certified & registered Professional Engineer, with a Master's degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Bill was published multiple times professionally as well as in his retirement years.
As an avid reader, deep thinker, quiet philosopher and interested human, Bill was constantly researching and learning. He often wrote about politics and religion and how frequently the two intersect. He researched the many generations on both sides of the family and produced interesting genealogical family history that we have all enjoyed. He was a Boy Scout through and through, earning the highest level of Eagle Scout in his youth. He lived by the Boy Scout motto, frequently reciting it 80+ years later.
Bill was an active member of the fraternal order of Masons for over 65 years, as was his father before him. After many years with the Masons in CT, he found a home in his retirement with the Grand Lodge of NH/ Star in the East in Exeter, NH where he enjoyed years with that community.
As a proud service member he thought his military service was behind him until 2014 when he learned of an organization called Honor Flight. The homecoming those troops never saw upon their original return from the service was provided in a day-long trip, organized and paid for by Honor Flight, to Washington DC to visit all of the monuments dedicated to our servicemen. The trip started out with a motorcade of 100+ motorcycles that escorted the folks to the airport, marching bands, people, cheers and celebration met them at the airport leaving and arriving in DC. At every monument, people lined up to shake the veterans' hands and thank them for their service. It shook him to the core that people still cared. He called it one of his life's highlights.
His greatest joy and achievement was the large and loving family he and Phyllis created. The highlight every year was the entire family coming together during the summers at Wallis Sands Beach in Rye, NH, a tradition started in their early days as a young family and then continued as adults for nearly 40 years.
That time together was the highlight of their year and always included body-surfing the waves of Wallis Sands with their kids and grandkids, well into their 80's ..... the true fountain of youth!
Their move to the seacoast area of NH in 2009 allowed more rides along the coast to check on the surf and visits with the family at Amy's house in Newburyport where they frequently congregated.
Bill will by dearly missed by his children David Glater (wife Jodi), Ruth Ann Golis (Peter), Elizabeth Glater, Amy Glater Badger (Stephen Bowditch) & Sarah Abercrombie (Scott), his grandchildren Brian Glater, Jamie Glater Frenette, Samantha Golis, James Abercrombie, Diane Abercrombie & Myles Badger and three great-grandchildren, Aron, Oliver and George.
A private family celebration of Bill & Phyllis's lives will be next summer on the coast of NH, their very happy place.
A true scout, Bill Glater was indeed: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. Rest in peace Dad.