Annie Glenn, 100, the widow of astronaut and senator John Glenn, passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 in a nursing home near St. Paul, Minnesota from Covid-19 complications.
Annie was born on February 17, 1920 in Columbus, Ohio to Margaret (Alley) and Homer Castor.
She met John Glenn at a very young age, and the pair became high school sweethearts, continuing to date through college.
Annie attended Muskingum College where she majored in music with a minor in secretarial skills and physical education. When she graduated in 1942, Annie was offered a pipe organ scholarship from the Julliard School, but she declined.
Annie and John married on April 6, 1943. They had two children, David and Lyn.
The couple came into the national spotlight when John Glenn was chosen as a Mercury 7 astronaut for the United States’ new space mission.
An official statement from NASA reads, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Annie Glenn. A stalwart member of the space and military communities, her courageous support of her legendary husband John was unmatched.”
Annie joined other astronaut’s wives in a tight-knit support group, known informally as the Astronaut Wives Club. These women became celebrities in their own right, with their representation of domestic patriotism. The group also influenced consumer choices of American women, whether a certain shade of lipstick or a popular family vehicle, the station wagon.
“She provided an example for other women who followed to face the challenges of being part of our nation’s space program, and the stress of having spouses in combat,” continued the statement from NASA. “She stood steadfastly by her husband as he took to space once again as the oldest person to orbit Earth, even as she continued her own lifelong public service on behalf of children, the elderly, and the disabled.”
Like her father, Annie experienced a speech stutter throughout most of her life. This did not deter her, as she found ways to effectively communicate without speaking out loud. At the age of 53, Annie attended a three-week treatment course at Hollins Communications Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia. It allowed her to support her husband’s campaign for the Senate during public events and rallies.
In 1983, Annie received the first national award of the American Speech and Hearing Association for her meritorious service to those with communicative disorders. In 1987, the National Association for Hearing and Speech Action awarded the first annual Annie Glenn Award for achieving distinction despite a communication disorder. She was inducted into the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame in 2004.
In 2009, the Ohio State University awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Public Service to recognize her work on behalf of children and others. The department awards the “Annie Glenn Leadership Award” annually to a person that has displayed innovative and inspirational work in speech/language pathology.
“The Glenns dedication to each other is well known, and we looked to them as an unmatched example of the strength and compassion that a lifetime of devotion creates,” reads the official statement from NASA. “She will be missed.”
