Frances and Ed Glenn receive the Pioneer Award from Don Russell during the Boardman Chamber of Commerce awards banquet Feb. 12, 2016. People nominate Boardman residents for awards that are announced at the annual Distinguished Citizens Awards Banquet, and then a committee of chamber board members and community members from schools and local businesses convenes to decide on the winner for each category. The tradition continues, with the 2024 event set to take place March 8.

Ed Glenn, former Boardman mayor and city councilor, died April 24, at 81.

The city of Boardman’s website memorialized Glenn as “a strong community supporter who called the city of Boardman home.” It stated that he was on the council 2003 to 2005. He was mayor 2005 to 2008.

“The city of Boardman is grateful for his service, and send our sympathies to his family,” the website added.

Paul Keefer, Boardman’s current mayor, said Glenn “will be greatly missed in Boardman.”

“He was a man of great integrity and called it as it was,” Keefer said. “He was a straight shooter and you always knew that Boardman was a very special place for him and his family.”

Keefer stated that he met Glenn in 2000, and he remembers Glenn as having been “actively engaged in Boardman’s city government.”

“His example and leadership are a constant reminder for me as I work to be mayor of Boardman,” Keefer said. “Ed set the example for me and others to be involved within your community.”

He added that he will “truly miss this great man who I am honored to call my friend.”

Early comments to his obituary, posted at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com, were positive. They included statements about Glenn’s professionalism and goodness. One person said she enjoyed time with him at League of Oregon Cities, others stated that they lit candles in remembrance.

“We had many ups and downs over the years, but Ed was certainly never afraid to ask the difficult questions and was steadfastly supportive of the city of Boardman,” stated another response, credited to Ray and Carol Michael of San Luis Obispo, California.

Glenn’s obituary calls him a “Boardman proponent,” born in 1941 in Enterprise, and described him as a “modern-day Renaissance man,” who was a public defender, trial lawyer, commercial wine producer and more.

According to his obituary, he is survived by his wife, Francis Glenn, as well as children, grandchildren and other loved ones.