Kenneth “Ken” Glenn

Another pillar of the Fillmore community has passed away this week, Kenneth “Ken” Glenn.
Ken was one of the first persons I met when I was thinking of starting a newspaper in Fillmore. As a long-standing and distinguished member of the Fillmore-Santa Paula Masonic Lodge # 291, he managed the affairs of the Lodge building on the corner of Central Avenue and Sespe.

As always, space for new businesses was very difficult to find in 1989, and I looked diligently for several weeks to find a good place to start-up the Gazette. A church was occupying the corner space in the Lodge when I began my search. Then I was informed that the church was moving to a new location and the space would be available. I met with Ken, told him what I was attempting to do, and he enthusiastically facilitated the move.

I will remember Ken as a man with a very generous heart. He was always helping someone or some cause to better the town. Without his help two decades ago it would have been very hard to establish the paper. He was always genuinely interested in public affairs and the betterment of our little town.

Ken set the rent on that corner office at a generously low cost to the Gazette, and kept it there until the Northridge earthquake destroyed the structure. The destruction of the Lodge was a tremendous blow to Ken as well as the many small businesses that occupied the street level shops.

I remember covering a couple of Ken’s gleaning events for Food Share. Ken would gather a group of like-minded individuals and head for local fields and orchards, saving all the fruit and vegetables which the harvesting machines left in the fields. Tons of produce were then turned over to Food Share which distributed the bounty to needy families. I clearly recall how excited Ken would be participating in his many gleaning forays; he just loved helping out in such a practical way. He encouraged me many times to come with the group and get some photos of all the activity. I did that on at least two occasions, during one of which Ken provided a tour of the storage facility.

Ken would often stop by the Gazette office with bags of fruit or vegetables he had gathered in the fields. He would also drop by with gifts of delicious home-made fruit “jerky” for the staff. As a solid Christian man I’m sure he recognized all of his activity as meaningful works of mercy and kindness.

I also remember Ken as a man of great energy and enthusiasm for worthwhile projects and ideas. He was a doer, not merely a talker.

The community of Fillmore has lost many of its important members during the past several years, none more important than my friend Ken Glenn.

Rest in peace, Ken, and thank you for your life of generosity.