Mitchell J. Glanis, 44

TOWNSEND - Mitchell J. Glanis of Townsend and formerly of Marshall, Mich., died on Monday, April 16, 2007, in the College Of Medicine in Richmond, Va., as the results of an injury from an accidental fall. He was 44.

Mitch was born on May 11, 1962, in Battle Creek, Mich. to Nicholas J. "Nick" Glanis Jr. and Marilyn J. "Jo" Marquart Glanis.

He attended Marshall Schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1981. He was a Boy Scout while growing up, and at Marshall High, Mitch was a member of the swim team, even swimming in national competition. He then went to Michigan State University and graduated in 1983 with a degree in turf grass management.

He continued studying his profession over the years with numerous educational programs.

After college graduation he became the assistant golf course superintendent at Oak Park Country Club in Oak Park, Ill.

In 1984 he moved to El Cajon, Calif., where he held the same position for Singing Hills Golf Course until being promoted to superintendent of the course in 1986.

In 1988, Mitch left Singing Hills to go to work for Robert Trent Jones as a senior project manager, first building a golf course in Fuengirola, Spain. That project was completed in 1991, and Mitch returned to the Marshall area and was president of Transworld Turf Inc. of Battle Creek until 1995.

He returned to golf course construction work for companies based in Illinois, Colorado, Nebraska and Delaware.

In 2004, Mitch went to work in heavy equipment sales for John Deere Standard Equipment Co. of Middletown. He had just left that job, and was working with his fiancée, Cynthia Artabazon building a nursery business at a farm they were purchasing in Midlothian, Va.

While working in golf course construction, he helped build courses all over the world including courses in Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and England.

One of his favorite projects was on the Island of Maderia, Portugal, where most of the construction was done by hand labor.

He was a recognized expert in his field and was asked to return to MSU as a speaker, and was recognized as a distinguished committee chairman. He earned the GCSAA Service Award.

Mitch was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed horses, and especially fishing. He dragged a boat from his father's yard back to Delaware, where he restored it, renamed it "The Green Apple," and enjoyed many fishing trips into the ocean near his home with it.

He enjoyed hiking, and mushrooming with his family. Mitch loved the dogs that were four of his companions over the years.

He had had a Harley-Davidson motorcycle he liked to ride to relax on.

He spoke semi-fluent Spanish.

Mitch loved time with his family, especially his daughter Morgan. Although geographically separated, the two stayed very emotionally close.

He is survived by his daughter, Morgan J. Glanis of Marshall, Mich.; his parents, Nick and Jo Glanis of Marshall, Mich.; sisters, Rebecca Smith of Hartselle, Ala. and Jennifer J. Nawrocki of Marshall, Mich.; brother, Michael J. Glanis of Battle Creek, Mich.; his aunts, Barbara Leiter of Battle Creek, Mich. and Barbara Glenski of California; and his fiancée, Cynthia Artabazon of Monlothian, Va. and her children, Robby, Meghan and Patrick.

Friends may call at Craig K. Kempf Funeral Home, 103 E. Mansion, Marshall, Mich., today, from 1-8 p.m., where the family will be present to greet friends and share memories from 1-3 p.m. and 3-5 p.m.

Funeral services to celebrate his life will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at Kempf Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Doner officiating.

Interment will follow in Oakridge Cemetery.

Friends who wish may make memorial contributions to the Morgan Glanis College Fund c/o Precision Grading Services LLC, P.O.Box 359, Hebron, MD 21830.