Bill L. Glassman

Bill lived in Taunton, Massachusetts and Santa Ana, California, and earned his Master’s in English at California State University, San Francisco. He later endowed the Bill Glassman Scholarship at Fullerton College, which provides $2,000 for the student who improved their reading skills to college-level. Bill taught English, Reading and Opera Appreciation at Fullerton College. He met Kathleen O’Connor in 1967 while she was a student there, and went directly to the president of Fullerton College to ask permission to become involved with her with the intention of marriage. The president knew true love when he saw it, and gave them his blessing. Bill and Kathleen were married on August 15, 1968 at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Ana, California (where he remained a member for many years and his son David had his Bar Mitzvah there in 1983), and Bill continued to teach at Fullerton College, retiring in June of 2009 (with a huge retirement party at Angelo & Vinci’s). Bill valued and loved every day of the 47 years he taught at Fullerton College. He would go out to dinner with his family and his server would say: “Hi Mr. Glassman, I will never forget how much time you spent with me on my reading skills and I will never forget you and your class!”

As a student, Bill always earned A’s. As an instructor, in addition to English, he taught Humanities and (as a great lover of the opera) also created the Opera class at Fullerton College. He and Kathleen loved to travel, especially in Europe, and Bill also enjoyed acting in small productions.

He loved his wife, son and daughter, and their entire family. He treated everyone as an equal and afforded equal time to all. He was known as hard working, devoted, kind, honest, and genuine, and everyone remembers his favorite sayings: “Alright You, You’re Gonna Get It! Two Pokes & A Tickle!” and, he was mostly bald and when someone would complain about having a bad hair day, he would say “You Should Be On Your Knees Thanking God For Every Hair On Your Head, On Your Knees!” Bill loved every day of his life, but nothing more than his wife Kathleen – he would do anything for her, and was a devoted, true, and good husband for over 55 years.

Bill loved to tell the story of how, as children, he and his brother Bob were quite different. Bob would watch baseball on TV while he would listen loudly to Opera in his bedroom. And he would talk about how his mother’s hair would turn gray listening to both simultaneously.

Bill was preceded in death by son-in-law Chad Verlo.

He will be missed every day and remembered by

his wife Kathleen, son David Glassman and daughter Lisa Verlo; grandchildren Demi Hallstrom and husband Jordan Hallstrom, Jake Verlo, Liv Verlo, and Ava Hallstrom; brother Bob Glassman and his wife Dianne Glassman; sisters-in-law Nancy Avery (Scott) and Eileen O’Connor; nephews Bryan Glassman and Eric Glassman, Daniel Tutt, Kyle Faul, Mike Faul, Chris Avery and Neice Katie Slicho, and Cousin Elaine. He was also preceded in death by his brother-in-law Daniel O’Connor who he adored and loved going on adventures with. His memory will also be cherished by dear friends Ann Klein, Robin Tehrani, and Dustin Klein, John and Mindy Mack, Stephanie Smith, and Chuck Tarver.

A Celebration of Bill’s Life will take place at a later date.