Rozella Glanzer

Rozella Glanzer, age 101, of Huron, passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Avantara in Huron.
Her Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Living Hope Alliance Church with fellowship and lunch immediately following the service at the church. Inurnment will be held at Riverside Cemetery. The family is asked to meet at the church thirty minutes before the service. Visitation, with her family present, will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Honorary urn bearers will be all of Rozella's extended family members and faithful friends.
Rozella Glanzer was born at home in Beadle County on March 15, 1923, to Math P. and Kate (Gross) Glanzer. She grew up on a farm near Carpenter and graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1941. In 1942, she completed a one-year certification to teach rural one-room school from General Beadle College (now Dakota State University) in Madison, SD. By attending night classes and summer school, she earned a BA in Education from Huron College in 1957 and nearly completed a master's degree.
Miss Glanzer's (or Miss G, as she was known in later years) teaching career spanned 73 years. She began her forty-six years as a regular classroom teacher in Wheeler and Bunker Hill one-room schools near the family farm in Beadle County. She taught first and second grade in Bryant, Willow Lake and Clark, before moving to Huron in 1955 where she taught first grade for 33 years at Jefferson School. After retirement, Rozella was a long- and short-term substitute for fifteen years, often subbing for teachers who had been her students and teaching students whose parents she had taught. She had long assignments at Pearl Creek and Riverside Colonies, which brought new friendships with families. Rozella substituted in special education for five years, and volunteered in classrooms until age 93 in 2016.
Miss Glanzer's goal was to keep the children excited about learning. She created opportunities for each child to participate in projects and activities. Parents were engaged to share skills, hobbies and talents with the class as the students did projects. She tutored many children in the evening and after school and was deeply satisfied to see the progress each child made.
When new curricula were introduced in the schools, she was eager to adapt innovations for her students. For her "Reading is Fun!" program, she was one of ten national award recipients and was given a scholarship to attend a Fresno State College summer education institute. She influenced teachers and generations of students throughout the state by training student teachers from Huron, Northern State and Black Hills State colleges.
For many years, Rozella was a part-time recruiter and counselor for the Huron College admissions department. In the summer, she drove all over the state making home calls to recruit students and encouraging young people to meet their potential. Rozella was a dedicated part of the State Fair and Sturgis Rally, serving food and drinks with a smile, helping people at the Senior Center booth, creating lasting memories with each interaction.
Rozella was a servant-leader in her community and church. In 1980, she was honored by Huron College with the Huron Educator award for distinguished service to the Huron Public Schools and the community. Delta Kappa Gamma's "The Order of the Rose" was awarded for her leadership and selfless service to the organization. Modern Woodmen of American presented her the Hometown Hero Award for community service. In 2012, she received the Honored Women Educators of South Dakota-Annie B. Tallent Award.
In 2014, Rozella was nominated for the Spirit of Dakota Award, which is given in recognition of outstanding women who have demonstrated vision, courage and strength of character.
The Math and Kate Glanzer family have blessed each other with love and support from generation to generation. Rozella helped her mother care for her ill father; cared for her homebound mother for nine years; and visited her eldest sister daily in the nursing home for nearly a decade. Rozella's model of compassion has been carried on by nieces and nephews in caring for their parents as they age.
Aunt Zella was the matriarch of our family. Somehow, she made each of us feel special. Her care extended to great, great-great, and great-great-great nieces and nephews.
Rozella was baptized at the Bethel Church near Yale, where she was a member until she moved to Huron. In 1956, she joined the First Baptist Church in Huron. During her forty-five years of membership, Rozella served as the Sunday School Superintendent, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Sunday School teacher, Superintendent of Bible School, President of the Ladies Society, and established a children's library. In recent years, she was a member of the Living Hope Alliance Church, where she and Suzanne Tschetter organized many activities and celebrations.
Until the last two years, Rozella was avidly interested in the state of the nation and read the Daily Plainsman cover to cover. She chose televised Huron School Board meetings, school music and sports programs and SDPB's The Prairie Doc over any other programs.
She was a member of the United Way Board, Senior Center Board, the Huron College Alumni Board, Delta Kappa Gamma, and a dedicated RSVP volunteer.
Miss Glanzer was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings and spouses, Alma (Ernie) Glanzer, Elard (Katie) Glanzer, Jennie (Arnie) Schmidt, Wilson (Norma) Glanzer, Wanda (Dan) Polly; nephews, Morris Glanzer and Dr. Daryl Schmidt and niece Cathy Glanzer; great-nephew David Spomer; and her niece's husband Tony Anderson.
She is survived by her nieces and nephews; Phil (Judy )Glanzer, Keith (Tanya) Glanzer, Brenda Glanzer, Errol (Dawn) Glanzer, Lana Glanzer, Regan (Kristi) Glanzer, Judy (Daryl Schmidt) Dodd, Jeanine (Marv) Spomer, Del (Jane) Schmidt, Connie Anderson, Carla (Dean) Riley, Charlene (Bill) Berg, Cathryn Glanzer, Waneen Polly, and Jerry (Dian) Polly; 20 great nieces and nephews and 48 great-great nieces and nephews and 4 great-great-great nieces and nephews. Her cousins; Donna Hofer, Merle Gross, Andy Gross, Delia Mandt, and Marcellen Davis; and dearly loved friends.
Memorials may be sent to the Huron Senior Center, the Living Hope Alliance Church or the charity of your choice.