Mack L. Glover Jr.

Mack L. Glover Jr.

Mack L. Glover Jr., 87, of Great Falls, a retired railroad engineer and Army-Air Force veteran, died of natural causes on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at a local care facility.

Memorial service will be held at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at 10 a. m. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery in Great Falls. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Mack was born Oct. 21, 1924, in St. Paul, Va., to Mack L. Glover Sr. and Ida Myrtle Puckett Glover.

Upon growing up, Mack attended numerous schools in Virginia and West Virginia in the heart of coal mining country. He later attended the New York Teachers College prior to being drafted in the Army-Air Force. Mack was one of the first American soldiers trained in the new military invention called radar. During his service in World War II, Mack was assigned to British First Viscount Montgomery in Europe. He participated in four major campaigns and was awarded numerous battle stars and military citations during his tour. During the Battle of the Ardennes, Mack was taken as a prisoner of war. After the war, Mack sought work in the western United States. He eventually settled in Montana, where he became a railroad engineer for Great Northern and later Burlington Northern railroads. He married Ramona Ferris on Aug. 22, 1951, in Great Falls, and they remained together until she passed away in July 2003.

Mack retired in 1987 as the vice chairman of the Locomotive Engineers Union for the Burlington Northern Railroad in St. Paul, Minn.

Upon his retirement they moved back to Havre, where he enjoyed public service as a member of the city council.

When Mack retired from public service, he and Ramona moved to Great Falls in 1999. Then, in November 2009, Mack moved into Highgate Senior Living. Mack loved the staff and residents at Highgate and considered them his adopted family.

Survivors include four sons, Samuel L. Glover of Hagerstown, Md., Robert D. (Danell) Glover of Umpua, Ore., Richard L. (Judy) Glover of Great Falls and Ronald J. (Karen) Glover of Eugene, Ore. ; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews in Virginia. Mack was preceded in death by his wife, Ramona; his parents; his sister, Betty Rose Glover; and his two brothers, Raymond and Clifford (Blue) Glover, all of Virginia.

Condolences may be left for the family at http://www.schniderfuneralhome.com.