Glen Dale McLaughlin February 21, 1930 – March 01, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Glen Dale McLaughlin went to his heavenly home on March 1, 2019. His faith in his Good Shepherd and his family’s devotion supported him through a battle with cancer and gave him peace. Glen was born to the late Fred and Gladys McLaughlin February 21, 1930, in Plover, IA.
His family moved to Burke, VA, in 1936 where his father worked for the U.S. Government Quartermaster’s Corps, and his mother was the first woman bus driver for Fairfax County Public Schools. As a child, he knew the value of hard work as he helped raise chickens, milked goats, started a bicycle repair business, and delivered newspapers on horseback in the area that is now Hidden Pond Nature Center in West Springfield, VA. He graduated from Fairfax High School and earned a degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech.
He trusted in Jesus Christ as his Savior as a young man, and soon God called him to full-time ministry. He studied at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary while he was employed at a civil engineering firm in Louisville, KY. There in Louisville he met the love of his life, Birdena “Dena” Barnes.
They married in 1954, and she was his partner in ministry for their 55 years together. Glen and Dena served together as Glen’s career criss-crossed the U.S. teaching Engineering and Bible at Bluefield College, VA, and pastoring churches in South Boston, VA; Cluster Springs, VA; Riverside, CA (where he also was employed as a civil engineer); San Bernardino, CA; Sterling, VA; Bolivar, MO; State College, PA; Luray, VA; Leesburg, VA; and Capon Bridge, WV. In retirement, Glen criss-crossed the globe joining mission teams to Eagle Butte, SD (Lakota Tribe), Peru, Guyana, and Ghana.
Glen was passionate about sharing the life-giving gospel of Jesus with as many people as possible. He was particularly passionate about church planting and global missions. He also enjoyed history, road trips, and football.
He was a prayer warrior, a loving husband and father, a godly mentor and counselor, and a mischievous pie enthusiast (only two kinds of pie: hot and cold). Glen reunited with his wife, Dena, and son, Daniel, in heaven. He is survived by children April Kierstead (Van), Dan’s wife Martha McLaughlin, Paul McLaughlin (Laura), Penny Moran (Brian), eleven grandchildren: Joshua and Andrew Kierstead; Caleb and Lucas McLaughlin; Robin, James, Jenna, Meredith, and Philip McLaughlin; Emily and Joseph Moran; and three great-grandchildren: Aidan, Jackson, and Emma Kierstead.
Memorial arrangements: Viewing, Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA, Friday March 8 at 7 PM Burial, Ketoctin Baptist Church, Purcellville, VA, Saturday March 9 at 4 PM Celebration of Life, Hamilton Baptist Church, Hamilton, VA, Saturday, March 9 at 7 PM The family requests guests refrain from using perfume, cologne, or other fragranced products. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.
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