In Memory of George Glass
Name: George Glass
Spouse: Kumi Glass
Children: Hye Yon, Jiyeon, and George
Birth Date: September 4, 1946
Blessing Date: February 8, 1975
Ascension Date: June 18, 2020
George F. Glass ascended to the spirit world on June 18, 2020 at 2:45 PM after a brief but aggressive battle with leukemia. He received the Blessing in the 1800 Couples Blessing and was a leader in setting the worldwide foundation of the Unification movement in the 1970s and 1980s. Originally from Chicago, IL, George was raised Catholic and left home at 14 to attend the Seminary. Before joining the movement in New Orleans in 1972, George had hoped first to be a baseball player. When that didn’t work out, he resolved to become a surgeon. That all changed when he was invited to his first Divine Principle lecture.
He received training directly from True Father for 40 days at Barrytown in 1975 and was approved by True Parents as the first American missionary to the Republic of Singapore and later, the Regional Director of Southeast Asia until 1982. In the 1980s, George was the Director of the World Mission Dept., traveling all over the world.
In the 1990s, George coordinated speaking tours at universities and other projects for the True Children and True Mother. From 2002-2016 George was a student data analyst at the Montclair Public Schools system in Montclair, NJ. He was able to watch all his children graduate from Montclair High School and go off to college during his time there. In his final years after retiring from the Montclair school district, he went back to school at UTS to earn his Masters of Religious Studies in 2018 and learn Chinese at Rutgers. He entered UTS’s Doctor of Ministry program in 2020. George loved lifelong learning.
George will be remembered for his unending strength, wittiness, righteousness, dedication, devotion, work ethic, selflessness, and love for all things of creation. Every moment of his life was devoted to furthering True Parents’ mission.
He is survived by his wife, Kumi, two daughters, Hye Yon and Jiyeon, son, George, and two grandchildren.
George will be laid to rest at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, NJ on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 1:00 PM.
Visitation Hour
Due to concerns surrounding COVID19, the Seonghwa and Wonjeon ceremonies will be held privately for close family members only. However, the Glass family encourages friends to visit Mr. Glass’ gravesite at the Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, NJ between 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM to pray and offer their respects. For safety, visitors are asked to please practice social distancing, wear a mask, and remain for 30 minutes max. Visitors will want to use the entrance on Valley Road.
Chain-Prayer
We will start a 24-Hour Chain-Prayer for Mr. Glass beginning on Monday, June 22nd at 9:00 AM. If you are able to take part in the Chain-Prayer, please click here. For any questions, please contact Mrs. Yoko Burns at yokoburns2075@gmail.com.
Condolences
Condolence messages for the Glass family can be sent by email to George Glass Jr. at cwguy64@hotmail.com.
Robin Graham
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Such a unique personality. I love this man. I only knew him in his later years while he was a student at UTS. He had an opinion about everything. He carried the flag.
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Joseph Kinney
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I first met George when we drove from the South up to Belvedere 100 day training in March 1973. At that time George had been in medical school and was an ambulance medic. He had already seen so much death and suffering. In the late ‘70s I visited the beautiful center George established in Singapore several times. It was so beautiful, and George was so successful in both the financial and spiritual work. We lived the next town over from the Glass family for 25 years and enjoyed crossing paths. George is a life-long friend and elder brother. I will miss him.
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Nora & Hugh Spurgin
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Since the 1970’s, our paths crossed numerous times. Nora remembers George as a state leader in Rhode Island and as a missionary in Singapore when as an Itinerary worker she visited him in both places. Our paths crossed again when George moved to New Jersey and later became a student at UTS.
We will miss you, George. You were a faithful and able servant of our Heavenly Parent and True Parents. Our heartfelt condolences to Kumi and his family.
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BRUCE Biggin
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George was a dear friend who helped me in so many ways when I ended up in Singapore as a foreign missionary. He truly was a brother to me more than he may have known. I still keep in contact with our members there in Singapore. I know they will miss George. I was happy to have gotten to know him during the two years a I spent there in Singapore. I miss him.
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Dr. John Moon Kasongo
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My heart is broken as I learn about the passing of one of those elders I will never forget. He came to Congo- Kinshasa, formerly known as Zaire, at a time of internal crisis between the national leader and the early members, one of which I was. He shared deep wisdom about a better way forward. We have not spoken or seen each other since. I pray for Heavenly Parent’s comfort to your beloved family. Goodbye, elder brother!
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Phillip Soai Van
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My most relevant recollection of George’s impact on my life, if I am to put aside his devotional life to serve God’s Providence, and his attendance to our True Parents, was when he supervised one of the administrative department of the jewelry wholesale business in Secaucus, NJ.
In his office was a full-size calendar and on it was the detailed reports of every day passing by. He took note of what happened and sometimes what should have happened and what could have been done differently and better. Since I had never seen anyone doing this, I thought it was pretty unique. It stuck with me long after I left the job and realized later on that his consistent approach to everyday details was, in fact, a high form of time management.
Today, I can say that my ability to plan and schedule my days has been inspired by George’s daily habits, to be respectful of the time and to remember why and how it was spent… and for what! I believe his relentlessness toward making notes of every thought and movement come from the multiple tasks he undertook at different times and different places, looking at the times been wasted, combined with the urgency to advance God’s will on earth. His ability to have that sense of urgency and been so patient at the same time made him an exceptional brother of a rare breed.
Thank you George
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Thomas Ward
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George’s passing was unexpected. He was a person with a clear sense of all of the things that he still wanted to do.
His time in Singapore and as the leader in Southeast Asia had an indelible impact upon what he understood as his life calling.
He had a deep understanding and appreciation for China and the Chinese Diaspora. He longed for the day when China could return to the best of its Confucian underpinnings and enhance this with True-Parentism.
From his early training as a Catholic Seminarian, George developed a relationship with God and an appreciation for the literature and teachings of early Christian scholars.
For George, it was clear that the teachings of True Parents could reinvigorate Christianity and China and the world. George was an observer of others; he understood their character and knew how to share words that not only gave them encouragement but put them in touch with their genuine value and potential.
I have known George since the early 1970s. I remember him coming to the 43rd Street Building when he worked in National Headquarters under President Salonen. He was always bright and always positive. In more recent years, he came to UTS and, there as well, he brought his contagious energy and enthusiasm that impacted on all of us.
George is a special person and his bright nature will inspire God and True Father in the spirit world and help many people there to find purpose and direction. If changes for the good start to happen in China, be sure that George Glass has a hand in all of that and that his experience and his persona make him someone whom God will easily work through.
Thank you, George for your example, your enthusiasm, your love, and your ability to uplift and offer hope and direction to those whom you encounter. Thank you for your sincere devotion to True Parents, to your own family, and to those whom you encountered every day.
You are a great example for all of us!
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Mehrdad &Anna Mizani
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Dear Kumi and Family,
So sorry to hear about George’s passing.
Anna met him in Rhode Island and when he was in the World Mission Department.
He was such a kind and loving brother with a big heart. Then we met him later on together after coming again to America.
Kumi lived with us for a while in London.
So we heard many stories about George.
Sorry we had lost contact with them.
May God give you strength during this difficult time. Love, Mehrdad and Anna
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Jeff Tallakson
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George was always focused on doing God’s Will and expanding the culture of True Love. I deeply respected him and his wife. He is a man God could depend on. George is still with us in spirit. Love ya man! I feel George is still with us in Spirit (which we will discover to be more real than the Here and Now).
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