Major Marte Lynn Glass, U.S. Army, Retired, 72, of Galesburg, Illinois, passed away at 3:17 p.m., Sunday, November 30, 2025, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria.
Marte was born on April 16, 1953, in Galesburg, the daughter of Wayne and Helen “Elaine” (Irish) Glass.
Surviving is her daughter, Lily (Jamal) Commander of Charlotte, North Carolina, her twin brother, Mack (Bonnie) Glass of Galesburg, Jeffrey (Nancy) Glass of St. Louis, Missouri, Jolene (the late Anji) Reddy of Springfield, Illinois, Janine Glass of Galesburg; two nieces and two nephews, Sheena (David) Leonard of Hanover Park, Illinois, Amelia Glass of St. Louis, Ravi Reddy of Chicago, and Justin Glass of Arcola, Illinois; and three great nieces and nephews, Benett, Norah and Rylan Leonard. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother-in-law, Anji Reddy.
Marte graduated from Knoxville High School in 1971 and went on to earn her nursing degree (RN) from Moline Lutheran Hospital School for Nurses in 1974. She later completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Illinois in Chicago. Marte was born to be a caregiver. She cared for family, friends, her patients and animals. She worked as a registered nurse throughout her career, working for OSF St. Mary Medical Center in the ICU, the coronary care unit, Home Health care and was a LifeFlight nurse. She also worked for OSF Holy Family in Monmouth, District 205 as a school nurse and served in the Army Reserves as a nurse for over 26 years. She was instrumental in founding the Women’s Memorial in Arlington Cemetery.
Marte was a very active woman both physically and mentally. She loved to exercise, including riding her bike or swimming. She most recently was teaching an aquafit class and working as a lifeguard at the City of Galesburg Hawthorne Pool. She enjoyed the outdoors and tended to her garden and farm animals. Marte planted milkweed for the Monarch butterflies. She was a woman of faith. She had a need to always learn more by reading. Marte enjoyed sewing and had enrolled in several sewing classes. Marte researched family genealogy and served on the Terpening Cemetery board. She and her friend, Steven Smith, founded the Prairie Remembrance Podcast to honor those who came before us and to tell their stories, such as Native Americans and formerly freed enslaved Africans.
Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. Friday, December 5, 2025, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services Galesburg Chapel. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the chapel with Chaplain Jordan Knight officiating. Military Honors will be accorded. Burial will be in Terpening Cemetery. Memorials may be offered to the Terpening Cemetery, the Galesburg Public Library Foundation or to WQPT TV Public Television. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.
