Thomas L Glass, also known as Tom Glass, also known as Lester Glass, also known as Leck Glass was born October 10, 1925 on a farm near Anadarko, Oklahoma. His parents were Russell and Edith Glass, and he had an older brother Carl, and older sister Margaret, who predeceased him. After living on the farm for several years, the family moved into town where his father was the Caddo County clerk and court clerk. While living in Anadarko during the depression, Tom worked at various odd jobs in town, and worked a lot for his uncles on the farm. In high school, Tom played football for Anadarko High, and joked that he made up for his lack of speed by playing real slow. In 1943 he graduated from Anadarko High, and tried to join the Navy but his eyesight was not sufficient. So he was taken in by the U.S. Army at age 18, and received basic training at Ft Hood Texas. In 1944, he arrived in Scotland on D-Day, and it was in England where he received training as Parachute Infantry soldier, earning his Jump Wings, and became a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In November 1944, his outfit crossed the English Channel into France. In December 1944, his outfit then made its way into Belgium where he saw combat action in the Battle of the Bulge, the largest U.S. involved battle of World War II. Pvt. Thomas L Glass was severely wounded by shell fire on January 3, 1945 when his unit was attacking a German held Belgian village. His best friend in the Army was killed in action during that battle. Tom was hospitalized for 14 months, and later received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantry Badge medals for his efforts. After being discharged, he came back to Anadarko, where he married Bernice Blue in 1948 and remained married to her until her death in 2009. They had two children, David and Carol, born in Enid, Oklahoma in the 1950s. After moving to Oklahoma City in 1959, Tom was employed as an aircraft mechanic at the newly established F.A.A. center in southwest OKC. The family bought a home near there, and began attending Southwest Christian Church at SW 41st and May Avenue where he was a member there until its merger with New Hope Christian Church.

Thomas was preceded in death by his:

Parents;

Siblings, and

Wife ~ Bernice Glass.

He is survived by his:

Son ~ David Glass;

Daughter ~ Carol Glass;

Daughter-in-law ~ Linda Glass;

Grandson ~ Will Glass;

Granddaughter ~ Kate Glass;

Sister-in-law ~ Anna Blue of Noble, Oklahoma;

Brother-in-law and sister-in-law ~ Carl Blue and Joanne Blue of Hernando, Mississippi; and Many nieces and nephews.