John Edward Glagola

Major John Edward Glagola, 86, of Belton, Missouri, passed away on May 31, 2026, in the comfort and safety of his home, in the embrace of the family who loved him. A Rosary will be prayed for him at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 19, with visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral mass at 11 a.m. at St. Sabina Catholic Church, 700 Trevis Avenue in Belton. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the ACBL Educational Foundation (www.acbleducationalfoundation.org).

Born to John and Barbara (Basich) Glagola on September 23, 1939, in Royal, Pennsylvania, John attended The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, where he was an active member of Sigma Pi fraternity and started playing bridge. A member of the Air Force R.O.T.C. program, he graduated in 1961 with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. After flight school in Alabama and survival training in Nevada, John was stationed halfway around the world at Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. It was on Okinawa that he met Alicia Lynn Lauby and his heart took flight; they wed in 1965 following a whirlwind romance.

John’s career in the U.S. Air Force included deployment to Thailand during the Vietnam War where he flew C-130s carrying primarily supplies and equipment but also the odd troops needing transport for R&R. His duty assignments carried his family to Alabama, New Hampshire, Missouri, and Germany. Together with Lynn, they raised three beautiful and devoted daughters—Debra, Jennifer, and Allison. Settling in Belton after retiring from the Air Force in 1982, John went back to school and started his second career as a radiology technologist. He worked at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, for over 20 years until his second retirement in 2005.

John was a life-long bridge player. A member of the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), he achieved the masterpoint rank of Silver Life Master in 2009. His daughters often joined him at bridge tournaments where they caddied while he played. A long-time member of the ACBL’s Unit 131 in Kansas City, Missouri, he served on the unit’s board, including terms as president. As a trained bridge director, he oversaw local bridge club games and unit tournaments. In retirement, he played bridge three times a week.

A devoted Catholic, John received the honors of the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus with Council 5586 at St. Sabina parish in Belton. He served as the council’s treasurer for many years.

John was equally handy fixing vehicles, computers, and anything else around the house. In the 1970s, he purchased a broken-down 1955 MG TF 1500 from his brother-in-law Karl Lauby for one dollar and restored it to its original splendor. He joined a local MG club in Kansas City and hosted a rally for the club members that took them all over Belton and south Kansas City. In the 1980s, he remodeled the basement at the family home in Belton, turning it into a family room where he spent countless hours playing The Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo game console. In addition to bridge, John was an avid player of word games, board games, and other card games; he worked New York Times’ crossword puzzles in ink.

John was preceded in death by his beloved wife Lynn Glagola, sister Mary Ann (Glagola) Ozanick, and nephew Mark Ozanick.

John is survived by his daughters Debra Glagola of Belton, Missouri, Jennifer Glagola of Kansas City, Missouri, and Allison Glagola-Strohm of Indianapolis, Indiana; grandsons Oliver, Connor and Parker Strohm of Indianapolis, Indiana; nephew Lenny Ozanick of Ohio; and nieces Lisa (Ozanick) Bencina of Mentor, Ohio, and Melanie (Ozanick) Bala of Willoughby Hills, Ohio.