William (Bill) Glaseman,105, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away on Friday, September 18, 2020. He’s survived by his daughter, Gwen Glaseman Worthington, and his granddaughters Adriene Worthington, Sara Worthington-Formosa, and her husband Ryan.
Born on April 7, 1915, in Toronto, Canada, his family immigrated to the United States in 1919. Growing up in Chicago, he worked in his father’s habidashiry until age seven when he decided to hone his business skills by running money for speakeasies and gin joints. While attending Lake View High School, he worked as a soda jerk and treated his future wife of 50 years, Harriette Wright-Bobbs (1915-1987), to lunch for 15¢ a week.
In 1934, he was an inaugural employee of Decca Records America, working in the factory pressing records with hot wax plates.
When WWII broke out, he became a US citizen and served his country as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Stationed in Germany, he worked as a driver for officers and memorized every road so he could drive at night without headlights. He remained a proud WWII veteran through the remainder of his life.
He continued his employment at Decca Universal for the next five decades, working his way up to Vice President of U.S. Distribution. With over 50 years in the industry he was privy to pivotal moments in music history such as teens rocking and rolling in record store listening booths, thus witnessing the birth of the term “rock ‘n roll”; attending the recording of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”, the best-selling single of all time to date; and using his position to help integrate the American radio airwaves.
After retiring in Cleveland from Decca in 1980 he moved to Arizona and immediately began his next business venture, Family Home Video. At the age of 78, Eddie Basha hired him exclusively to provide videos throughout their stores statewide. He successfully expanded this business until he finally retired in 1998.
He enjoyed golf, bowling, fishing, coin collecting, movies, music and poker. He will be remembered for being a true gentleman with a sharp, progressive mind and an unwavering fascination with anything new, including technology. He was an appreciated raconteur of his life stories and he will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him. He believed honesty, ethics, and hard work was the measure of a man. His message to his family and friends was “It’s been a long, great ride. No tears!”
To add a memory please visit
www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Bill’s memory to www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Larry Lay
One of the truly memorable people I have ever known. He attended many of our Looney Tooner Kitchen Band performances at assisted living places and was always very appreciative of our music and antics. He was a true gentleman. May he rest in peace.
Alan Wright
What a great life he had,,,and a wonderful legacy with his daughter and granddaughters. He was very nice to me and interesting to talk to at dinner. He did appreciate a nice wine from Napa. I am very sad for the family at his passing. Gwen, I know how much he meant to you…as you do to me. (I just learned of this, February, 2021.