Fundholder Spotlight: Don Glover
The Don & Virginia Glover Endowment Fund exists to support "arts and culture, community development, education, environment, health, heritage preservation, recreation, social services, and youth." as determined by the BACF Board of Directors. To donate to this fund click here and select this fund on the donation form.
Written in 2015 by Virginia Glover.
Brockville lost a cultural champion in February this year. A man of multiple gifts, Don was known for his leadership in organizations, including the YMCA, the Brockville Police Chorus, the Community Choir, Scottish Country Dancers, and the Historical Society. He also believed strongly in the value of a Community Foundation, a belief which traced back to his early years in Cleveland, birthplace of both the Community Foundation concept and the United Way.
Don Glover was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio; he and his twin sister were the youngest of four children. Both of his parents were busy doctors, and many of his childhood influences came from the handyman and housekeeper employed there.
An experiential learner, in high school he skipped more classes than he attended, choosing to explore downtown Cleveland instead. Besides discovering the city’s libraries and museums, he traversed the rooftops of commercial buildings, climbed bridges over the Cuyahoga River, hopped freight trains and prowled steel mills and slums.
In 1952 Don joined the US Army and was posted to Munich—from where, he liked to say, he helped win the Korean War. His wife Sue joined him there, and the first of their four children appeared.
Back in Cleveland, funded by the GI Bill, Don turned to serious studies of music and art. In 1963 he accepted a position at the Dayton Art Institute in southern Ohio. When, in 1970, the US National Guard opened fire on a crowd of protesting students at a nearby university, Don and Sue quickly decided to take the family to a more peaceful country; Canada was the closest. Soon after their move to Toronto, however, the couple separated. Two years later Don moved to the Brockville area in eastern Ontario, where he made his living restoring historic buildings.
Without a trace of snobbery in his makeup, Don had friends in every walk of life. As he moved from Land o’ Nod Road, to Perth Street, and Hartley St and places in between, Don quickly introduced himself to his neighbours, with a firm handshake, steady eye contact and a warm smile, strengthening the community wherever he lived.
Don loved snow and loved to ski and toboggan when visiting his children and grandkids in the mountains of BC. He also played tennis most of his life, and took lessons into his 80s. His spirit of adventure was unquenchable; not long before his death he was still hoping to try paragliding in BC. He was a gifted writer, leaving a wealth of unpublished stories in his files for his children to discover and make a selection for publication under the title “What’s the Worst That Could Happen”.
His enquiring mind and careful observation often focussed on structures, artefacts and documents, and what they can tell us about the past or teach us about the future. He seldom read the interpretation notes at art gallery or museum exhibitions, preferring to rely on his eyes, and experience. Shortly before he died, Don and his wife Virginia discussed their vision to support the preservation of historical artefacts in a way that is readily and inexpensively available to the general public. They established a Field of Interest Fund at the Community Foundation. After his death Don’s family was deeply touched by the huge outpouring of support the fund received from the community.
Don & Virginia Glover
BACF Gala, Royal Brock Hotel
