Virgil L. Glassinger

Virgil Lawayne Glassinger, 89, Shawnee, KS, passed away Thursday, February 18, 2021.

Virgil was born on December 8, 1931 in Kansas City, Missouri.  He was raised by father, Leo Glassinger, and step-mother, Emma, mother, Marie (Criss) Creech and step-father, Ed, and sister Leola (Glassinger) Mendoza.

Virgil had a sweet tooth since he was a small child.  He loved all desserts but his favorite treat was fudge.  Because he struggled to pronounce it properly when he was a boy, he was lovingly known as Pudge to close family and friends.

Virgil met Rita Ballew when Rita's family moved into the house across the street when they were children. They became friends and then married many years later, on December 20, 1952. Together they raised Rita's son, Gary, and went on to have three more children, Cathy, Deborah, and Darryl.

Virgil served in the United States Air Force from 1951 - 1955.  Virgil was a B-29 tail gunner and flew 17 combat missions in Okinawa during the Korean War.  During his time in the service, Virgil earned the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Air Medal.  Virgil enjoyed his military service and loved to share photographs and stories from his time in Okinawa.  He continued to share his accounts of war until the very end of his life.

After his military service, Virgil worked as an x-ray technologist at Olathe Community Hospital for over 30 years.  He spent the rest of his career as a mobile x-ray technologist.  Virgil took great pride in his work and his knowledge of the human skeletal system.

Virgil and his wife, Rita, loved traveling together and with their children.  They went on numerous cruises to Alaska and Mexico and traveled across the United States.  They especially enjoyed their trips to Pagosa Springs, CO, Orlando, FL, and Branson, MO.

Virgil spent his later years enjoying the company of his wife of 67 years, making family and friends laugh, and watching every Royals, Chiefs and Jayhawks game.  He was a fervent sports fan and coached the players enthusiastically from his recliner.

Virgil was a strong and loving man.  He had an infectious smile and loved to make others laugh.  He lived his life for God and for those he loved.  The world and his family will not be the same without him and his wisdom, but his incredible legacy and stories will live on and be cherished by those he loved.

Virgil was preceded in death by his wife, Rita; his parents; his brothers, Leo Jr. and Herbert, and his sister, Leola; his  son, Gary Gregory, and daughters, Cathy Lewis and Deborah Glassinger.

He is survived by his son, Darryl Glassinger, and Darryl's wife, Ginger; son-in-law, Jack; daughter-in-law, Barbara; grandchildren, Sharla, Jason, Brandy (Mike), Jayme (Michael), Jonathan (Brandi), Sarah (Daniel), Skylar (Ashlee);  and great grandchildren, Nikki, Piper, Jackson, Max, Mikalyn, Devlin, Jayda, Tegan, Tatum, Beckym, and Colton.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 at the Amos Family Funeral Home; burial in Mt. Washington Cemetery, Independence, MO. Visitation will be 6-8:00 pm Wednesday at the funeral home. To view a live stream of the service CLICK HERE.

The family requests donations to Interim Healthcare and Hospice in lieu of flowers.