Glen Grogan

Glen Grogan, age 81, of Murray, died from complications of Parkinson's Disease after a twelve-year battle.

Glen was born June 7, 1940, to Ben C. Grogan and Orpha Bratton Grogan at their home in Shiloh, Kentucky. He traveled the world, but his heart was always in Calloway County, where he lived all of his 81 years. His grandparents were Ewing and Savannah Grogan and Frank and Burnice Bratton, all of Calloway County. He had one sister, Judy Grogan Wallace, of Murray, who died in 2002. Mr. Grogan graduated from Murray Training School in 1958 and attended Murray State College. He was a tool and die maker and spent all of his working years in this area, retiring from Mattel in 2002. He remained close to his high school classmates throughout his life.

Glen married Judy Ward on October 8, 1960, after dating through all their high school years. They are the parents of Leslee, Rick, and Mitch. He loved his family, his church, baseball, and traveling. Glen was a quiet man who preferred staying in the background but was an encourager of others all his life. A lifelong member of First Baptist Church, he was a deacon for many years and taught 7th grade boys in Sunday School for 25 years.

Glen played baseball in high school, coached his sons in Little League, and then watched them pitch for Murray State. Leslee enjoyed watching baseball and traveling with her dad all of her life. In June 2021, all three kids arranged for Adam Wainwright, a St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, to send a video greeting congratulating Glen on turning 81 and on his lifelong support of baseball and the Cardinals.

Glen loved to travel, especially on the water, and he and Judy traveled to all 50 states and 30 countries on 5 continents, including trips on the Amazon, Rhine, Thames, Nile, Mississippi, and Columbia Rivers. This continued until 2014, when Parkinson's began to limit his activities. During his illness, Leslee sent recordings of her playing hymns on the piano and asked her dad to identify the hymn. He had no problem doing it and knew everyone, saying, "She's not gonna beat me with a hymn."

Glen is survived by his wife of 61 years, Judy Ward Grogan; daughter Leslee Grogan Rose of Nashville; sons Rick Grogan (Sheila) and Mitch Grogan (Kim) of Murray; grandchildren Zack Grogan (Neely); Elizabeth Napp (Austin); Savannah Grogan; Lydia Grogan (Trace White); and Elly Grogan; and great-grandchildren Emerson Story Napp, Novie Rae Grogan, and Walker James White. Also surviving are brother-in-law Joe D. Ward (Beth) and two nieces, Alison Ward Brown (Todd Terry) and Lexie Ward, and brother-in-law Jerry Wallace and two nephews David Wallace (Beth) and Mark Wallace (Lisa).

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 15, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home and Cremation Services with Rev. Boyd Smith and John Dale officiating. A eulogy will be provided by David Parker and music provided by Todd and Dorothy Terry. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 14, 2022, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Murray State University Glen and Judy Grogan Baseball Endowment, 200 Heritage Hall, MSU, Murray, KY, 42071 or follow link, http://bit.ly/msugiving-groganscholarship ) or to the Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House, 803 Poplar Street, Murray, KY 42071.


Online condolences can be made at www.thejhchurchillfuneralhome.com