Mary Louise Glann

1923 - 2023

Mary Louise (Courey) Glann

Oklahoma City, Okla., formerly Sioux City

Mary Louise (Courey) Glann, 99, of Oklahoma City and formerly of Sioux City passed away on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday at Waterbury Funeral Service in Sioux City. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church followed by burial with Military Honors at Calvary Cemetery. Arrangements are with Smith & Kernke Funeral Directors in Oklahoma City. www.smithandkernke.com.

Mary Louise Courey was born April 24, 1923, in Sioux City, the daughter of Moses Thomas and Amelia (Michael) Courey. She graduated from Central High School in 1941 and then went to business school. After completing her studies, she joined Wincharger as a secretary to the plant's superintendent.

Mary enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserves in Des Moines, Iowa, in May 1943 at age 20 and served until Sept 1945. She was one of about 19,000 women who enlisted to "Be a Marine and Free a Marine to Fight" (which freed the equivalent of a division of men to fight).

Her military life began with boot camp at Camp LeJeune, N.C. She was excited to be sent to Aviation Machinist Mate School at the Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) in Memphis, Tenn., then on to Advanced Training (NATC) in Norman, Okla. Traveling by troop train proved to be quite the geography lesson for her. Training at different bases became a mini cultural education which she found fascinating. After completing her training, Mary was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station, Mojave, Calif., as part of Squadron 1, where she served as an aviation mechanic for 19 months and attained the rank of Corporal. She was awarded three WWII medals: the American Campaign, Good Conduct, and Victory medals. She was most proud of being in the original group of women "the few and the proud" to join the U. S. Marine Corps Women's Reserves in WWII. She is thought to be one of the last surviving USMCWR members in Oklahoma.

Mary Louise was active in numerous Veteran organizations throughout her life. She was a charter member of Oklahoma Women Veterans Organization since 1985. She served in various positions within the organization including President for three years. In 1994, Mary was awarded Women Veteran of the Year in Oklahoma. She was a Life Member of Women Marines – OK Unit 1, a Life Member of Sooner Detachment Marine Corps League and a Life Member of the Women's Auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). She was also a member of American Legion Post 12 and received a Certificate of Service "For Distinguished Service in the U.S. Armed Forces." Mary was accompanied by family members to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial in Washington D.C. in June 1995 and then the grand opening in 1997.

Mary met James R. Glann at a V.A.U. Navy/Marine Corp unit in Sioux City and married a year later in July 1953. They have six children that she said always kept her young at heart: Alan, Cynthia, Mark, Valerie, Judith and Mary Catherine. She used her secretarial expertise to assist her husband in his cattle dealer business. They were married 57 years before he passed away in 2010.

Mary was a parishioner of Oklahoma City's Christ the King Parish for 50 years. She was a member of the Altar Society and of the Catholic Daughters of America. She was devoted to her Catholic faith, her family and her country. Her passions were her children, and she nurtured their individualism throughout her life. She reveled in Arabic cooking, reading, singing, traveling, and sports. She enjoyed sharing life experiences with her family and spending time with those she loved.

She is survived by her six children; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was an inspiration to all.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; four sisters; four brothers; and was the last surviving member of her Courey family.

Mary was part of the "Greatest Generation" and a force of nature who was cherished by all who loved her. Her last words would be, My God, I love you.