Harry Robert Glahn

1928 - 2023

Glahn

Harry Robert Glahn (Age 95)

Harry Robert (Bob) Glahn passed peacefully on December 28, 2023. He was born in Shelbyville, Missouri on July 28, 1928, the only living child of Harry Richison Glahn and Beulah (Melson) Glahn. He was preceded in death by his older sister, Emily and his (former) wife, Anna Margaret (Morgan). Bob is survived by his sons, Robert Gale and Gary Lee, and their wives, Tannie and Sandra respectively, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Bob grew up on his family farm in Shelbyville, and in 1947 began teaching at a one-room school in Missouri, which he continued until 1951. He married Anna Margaret Morgan in 1949. They both taught school while they studied at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University).

After graduation in 1953, he joined the Air Force and studied meteorology at Oklahoma A&M College in order to forecast for the Air Force Alaskan Weather Center in Anchorage. While serving in the Air Force, Bob developed a growing interest in meteorology and when he left active duty in 1957 he was hired at the U.S. Weather Bureau (now National Weather Service). He received a scholarship to MIT and earned a MS degree, returning to the Weather Bureau in 1958. Bob's particular interest was statistics, so he then studied statistics at American University and by 1963 had earned a PhD in meteorology with a minor in statistics at Penn State.

Bob's career at the Weather Service spanned over 54 years and was focused on developing and implementing advanced statistical techniques to improve the accuracy of computer-generated weather forecasts. In 1976 he was appointed the Meteorological Development Laboratory Director. He had such an impact on the way forecasters gather, analyze and present meteorological information that the NWS chose him for the distinguished honor of being its first Scientist Emeritus upon his retirement in 2012. Following his retirement, Bob continued working full-time as a volunteer until 2020. Seeking another project and working from home, he wrote a history of the NWS titled 50 Years of Model Interpretation at the Meterological Development Laboratory, completed in 2022, at the age of 94. Continuing to contribute to better weather prediction models was his passion and hobby as well as career.

Some of his boys' favorite memories involve their many family camping trips to national parks across the country. Bob instilled in them a deep appreciation for the beauty of our natural world. The family also enjoyed countless outings to Lake Anna, water skiing with their outboard motorboat.

Bob was a man whose quiet faith was lived out with kindness and generosity to those around him. Education was a priority to him and he graciously provided educational funds for his boys and all of his grandchildren. His family is very grateful for his legacy of using his abilities and resources for the benefit of others, in both improving weather prediction, and caring for family.

A service will be held at Demaine Funeral Home in Springfield, VA at 11 a.m., Monday, January 1. Donations may be made in Bob's honor to East-West Ministries International, www.eastwest.org.

www.deaminefunerals.com