Chris Springman

Chris Springman, age 84, of Glenwood, MN, died Saturday, August 8, 2020, at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. Due to the recently climbing COVID-19 infection rates, his family will have a private Celebration of Life with a graveside memorial service. That service will take place this week. Inurnment will be in Lake Reno Reformed Presbyterian Cemetery, rural Glenwood. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Chris Springman, son of John and Devere (Tuthill) Springman, was born February 12, 1936, in Hobart, Indiana. The fifth of the couple's six children, he grew up in Hobart where he attended public school and Augustana Lutheran Church. Chris was a 1955 graduate of Hobart High School. His senior year he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and served in the Marine Corp Reserves for one year before enlisting in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 20 years on active duty, repairing ground equipment for airplanes. Chris lived in various cities while a member of the Navy, including, Chula Vista, California; Patuxent River, Maryland; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. During the first half of his enlistment, he met Betty Malyon of Glenwood. The two wed on July 10, 1965, in the Lake Reno Reformed Presbyterian Church near Glenwood.

Following Chris' honorable discharge in August of 1975, he and his family returned to his wife's hometown, Glenwood, Minnesota. Here they continued to raise their two children, Edward and Connie. Chris found work at Clyde's Machinery before being hired as a custodian at Glenwood High School and then transitioned to Minnewaska Area High School after it was built. For the past several years, he has enjoyed transporting school children for Palmer Bus Service. He took such pride in the many friendships he formed with students while working at the school and driving Bus #3 for Palmer Bus Company. Each year he looked forward to receiving graduation announcements in the mail and attending the various open-house celebrations.

Chris was a member of the Glenwood American Legion Post #187, the VFW, and Alexandria United Methodist Church. His family will always remember him as a great father and a loving grandparent, as well as for his military service.

Chris is survived by his wife of 55 years, Betty Springman; his son, Edward Springman of Elk River; his daughter, Connie Springman of Glenwood; along with three grandchildren, Jacob, Mackenzie, and Alex Springman; one brother, John (Anne) Springman of Hobart, IN; and brother-in-law, Bill (Alison) Malyon of Glenwood; as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Chris was preceded in death by his parents, John and Devere; two sisters, Edna Mae, in childhood; and Mary Lou (Dencil) Knapp; two brothers, Robert (Donna) and Terry, in infancy.