Glenn Davenport, Age 90

Glenn Eldred Davenport, 90, of Tahlequah, OK, former longtime Munden, KS resident died Monday, June 26. Glenn was born on a farm near Chester on Aug. 23, 1926. He graduated from Chester High in 1944. That summer he was drafted into the Army and sent to the Pacific Theater of WWII. After the war, he attended college on the GI Bill and graduated from John Brown University in 1950 with a degree in English Education. Teaching was his life's work. At age 20, the gospel became clear to him, and in his own words, he "Passed from death unto life." On July 14, 1950, Glenn married Doris Canfield at the Christian Church in Chester. Glenn attended Denver Seminary, then began teaching public school in Denver, where he taught until 1973. He also earned MA degrees from Denver University and Kearney State College in the 60's and 70's. He loved the Rocky Mountains, and spent many hours leading backpacking trips for church and school groups. Glenn blended teaching during the school year in Denver with farming in the summer, back in Chester. In 1961, along with his brother Melvin, he purchased a farm outside of Chester, which they farmed together until 2000. In 1972, Glenn earned his pilot's license and purchased his first airplane. He flew his own planes until 1998, when he piloted his last trip to Alaska at the age of 71. In the 1970's, he began itinerant preaching, flying his plane to small country churches in Western Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. He was lay-pastor for Beecher Island Church in eastern Colorado for 14 years. Flying also led him to Nebraska Christian Schools in 1973, where he served as Superintendent until 1976. He spent many summers flying his plane to Alaska, where he served various ministries, helped friends prove up a homestead claim, and did commercial fishing for salmon in the wilderness of Bristol Bay. From 1978 until 1990, Glenn farmed and served as Principal of Chester-Hubbell-Byron Public School. Doris passed away from cancer in Jan. 28, 2005, after 54 years of loving him faithfully and well. In Nov, 2008, Glenn married Estelle Backstrom, who also loved him well, and has blessed the rest of Glenn's family for the past 8 years of their marriage. On June 26, in Tahlequah, OK, Glenn died peacefully with his wife and daughters by his side.

Survivors include wife Estelle; two sisters Jean (Wilbert) Crouse and Joan (John) Crouse; sister-in-law Wanda Davenport; daughters Sara (Rich) Musgrave of Central City, NE; Susan (John) Walters of Halstead, KS; Sandra (Ric) Jung of Hutchinson, KS; and Sharon (Billy Joe) Strnad of Munden, KS; 16 grandchildren, and 34 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clay & Lela Davenport; first wife, Doris; brother Melvin; and one great-grandchild, David Malstead.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, July 3, 2017 at the Zion Evangelical Church, Munden, KS. Interment with Military Graveside Rites by the U.S Army Honor Detail & the Hebron American Legion will be at the Chester Cemetery, Chester, NE.
Visitation will be from One PM until 8 PM on Sunday at the Bachelor-Surber Funeral Home, Belleville, KS where the family will greet friends from 4 PM - 6 PM on Sunday. Memorials are suggested to the Arctic Barnabas Ministries. Online condolences at www.bachelor-surber.com. Bachelor-Surber Funeral Home, Belleville, KS is in charge of the arrangements.

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