John Glick

Dr. John (Jack) Russell Glick (Colonel, U.S. Army retired) died in Colorado Springs, CO on August 13, 2012. He was born on November 15, 1918, in Mount Carmel Illinois, to Russell C. and Clara Deputy Glick.

Education was vitally important to Jack, as he was called by his friends. He fondly remembered attending a one-room schoolhouse for eight years and graduating as valedictorian of his high school class. He attended the University of Illinois where he was in ROTC. Weeks before he was to graduate he enlisted in the U.S. Army, attended Officer’s Candidate School, was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant, and arrived on Utah Beach exactly two months after D-Day. Jack was decorated with a bronze star for his bravery under fire while repairing vital telegraph lines in Malmaison, France, during Battle of the Bulge.

After the war he met and married Irina (Irene) Dybko, a displaced person from the former Soviet Union. They were married in Oberstdorf, Germany, in 1947 and returned to the United States. One of Jack’s proudest accomplishments was sponsoring Irene’s mother, sister, and niece to immigrate to the United States as well, escaping Soviet persecution.

He served his country proudly through WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. His military career had the family moving frequently. While attached to Fort McPherson he was stationed at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa and completed his bachelors and masters degrees. Jack also graduated from the Command General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, KS and the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA. His last active duty assignment was in Heidelberg, Germany where he served as Director of Management Information Systems. He retired in 1970.

Upon his retirement he moved the family to Boulder, Colorado, both to be near Irene’s family in Denver and to obtain a Doctorate of Business Administration at the University of Colorado. Subsequent to Irene’s untimely death in 1972 Jack and his youngest daughter Michelle moved to Carbondale, IL where we served as an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Southern Illinois University.

In 1976 Jack became reacquainted with Geni (Rundstadtler) Hacker whose family he knew from his military life. They married in 1977. He had the opportunity to return to Europe to teach accounting and finance for Boston University which he did for 14 years in Germany, England, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Both Jack and Geni received great pleasure in exploring the cultures of the countries where he taught. Ultimately, they came back to live in Colorado Springs where he continued teaching classes for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Regis University. A last minute request from Boston University had him teaching class in Spain on his 75th birthday. He retired from teaching in 1994.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Irene Dybko Glick, his second wife, Genie Hacker Glick, three brothers, two sisters, and infant grandchildren Jennifer Lynn Catano and Hannah Elizabeth Clemons. Surviving are a sister, Mary Glick Fischer and sister-in-law Nina Dybko Szwec. Also surviving are his children Jim Glick (Jan), Linda Hacker Ballenberger (Walt), Nancy Glick Catano (Frank), Cheryl Hacker Snigg-Cordova (Rick), Betty Glick, Jeannine Hacker Clemons (Mick),and Michelle Glick Somers (Dave). In addition he leaves nieces Lydia Dody and Ina Szwec; grandchildren Scott and Steve Glick, Wendi Glick-Valdez, Cheryl Catano Wilson, Kimberly Catano, Larisa and Michael Somers, Tina Valtierra, Jay Ballenberger, Jeremy, Jacob, Joshua, Micah and Kaylee Clemons, and Eric McCreary. Great grandchildren include Cody, Janlynn, Steven, and Bradley Glick; Ryan and Caitlin Wilson; Myles and Carter Valtierra; Isaiah Clemons; and great great grandson Mikhi Glick.