Glenn was enamored of the space program from the time he was a child. He vividly recalled watching his grandparents' television in 1969, as Neil Armstrong took his famous small step/giant leap onto the moon. Little did 13-year-old Glenn know that he would soon go to work for the company that made the audio and video transmissions from the moon possible. He worked as a chemist and developed software for the quality assurance laboratory in the Government Avionics division of Rockwell International (Rockwell Collins) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1978 to 1987. He later worked as an analytical chemist and computer programmer for Ecology & Environment (an EPA contractor), and Professional Service Industries (formerly Hall-Kimbrell). Most recently, he was a Principal Engineer for Midwest Research Institute (now MRIGlobal), specializing in development and implementation of custom laboratory information management systems.
Glenn always dreamt of going into space and believed that, if John Glenn could do it at the age of 77, there was plenty of time for Glenn Scherb to live his dream. In fact, Glenn and his wife Cynthia planned to go into space together. Instead, now Glenn will go into space alone, and as always, Cynthia has made the arrangements.
Glenn Arlen Scherb of Kansas City, Missouri, was born June 1, 1956, in Albert Lea, Minnesota, to Garlin and Sonia (Hafermann) Scherb. He graduated from Kiester High School in Kiester, Minnesota, as a National Merit Scholar, and went on to earn a degree in Chemistry from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. There, he worked as a photographer for the college, as well as a DJ and engineer for the radio station, and met the love of his life, Cynthia Weber. They married on June 18, 1983, just before Cynthia began studying at the University of Iowa College of Law. Glenn was welcomed with open arms into the Weber family, who loved him as one of their own. Glenn and Cynthia moved to Kansas City in 1987, where he taught physics and computer programming at area colleges, practiced chemistry, and wrote software for laboratories. Together, they led a charmed life, traveling the world, filling their lives with wonderful friends, good food and wine, books and art. Glenn was an amazing photographer who documented their lives and those of friends and family; he was a gentle soul, loved by everyone who came to know him; he was an intrepid traveler and would go anywhere, as long as Cynthia made the arrangements.
Glenn is survived by his wife of 32 years, Cynthia Weber Scherb; parents Sonia and Garlin, of Kiester, Minnesota; sisters Sheree Covert of Waverly, Iowa; Christine (David) Tatge of Wells, Minnesota; Susan (Greg) Path of Plymouth, Minnesota; mother-in-law Cherie Weber of Flossmoor, Illinos; brothers-in-law Gary (Lynelle) Weber and Craig (Sharon) Weber, both of Appleton, Wisconsin; sister-in-law Valerie (Anthony) Carf of Beavercreek, Ohio; and more than a dozen nieces, nephews, and assorted god-children, all of whom will greatly miss their Uncle Glenn. He was preceded in death by grandparents Frank and Linda Scherb and Reverend Herbert C. and Mildred Hafermann; and by his father-in-law Donald C. Weber.
