Obituary of Glenn K Coutts, Sr.

The Funeral Service will be livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/910468652

MENDHAM TWP - Glenn Kitchell Coutts, Sr. passed away peacefully at home on February 3, 2024, on his 94th birthday. Beloved husband, father, grand-father, great-grandfather, son, brother, uncle, friend to all, he was the unwavering shining light in our world.

Born in Meriden, CT, to parents Robert Lloyd Coutts and Helen Beatrice (Muchmore) Coutts, Glenn was raised in Morristown, NJ, attending and graduating from Morristown High School (class of 1947), and continued on to Valley Forge Military Academy (class of 1948) and the University of Vermont (class of 1951). He served his country with the United States Navy on the USS Midway during the Korean War (1951-1955).

He met the love of his life, Eleanor Huizenga, on a blind date, and the rest was history, as they say. They were married in 1956 at the United Methodist Church in Morristown.

They resided in Morris Plains until he built his home in Mendham Twp in 1967, where he and Eleanor raised their family and have resided ever since. His love for his family, his community and his country were boundless. He was a true patriot, a tremendous leader and inspiration in his extraordinary service to his community, and loved his family with all of his heart. He was most happy being at home, enjoying family dinners, picnics, holidays, and birthdays, surrounded by family and friends. He enjoyed family time at their rustic fisherman’s cabin on Paulinskill Lake, vacations on Long Beach Island, ski trips to Vermont and visits to Eleanor’s family dairy farm in Vermont.

He was a true gentleman.  He was kind, loving and gracious, a man of great character. And he had a most wonderful sense of humor. Puns, word games and jokes, the cornier the better, were his hallmark.

Serving his community through both his work and his extensive life-long involvement in numerous organizations were dear to his heart. Glenn was the President of Robert Lloyd Coutts & Sons, a family owned-and operated insurance agency in Morristown. Founded in 1930 by his father, the agency continues today, in its 3^rd generation. Glenn was so proud of this family legacy.

Glenn was a gifted athlete. He loved all sports for the pure enjoyment of the game. In high school and college, he played football, baseball and his most beloved sport, ice hockey. At Morristown High school in 1945, he kicked the winning field goal to win the Morris County football championship. He was a member of Mendham Golf & Tennis Club and the Essex Hunt Club. He played hockey until age 80, and even went to the NY Rangers Dream week ice hockey camp at age 70.

Glenn’s volunteer service to his beloved community were extensive and wide ranging. He was a football coach at Morristown Prep, helped to organize the Colonial Hockey League (now known as the Morris County Youth Hockey League) and was Past President of the Morristown Hockey Club (Paupers).  In 1967, he founded the Mendham Township Athletic Association, dedicated to provide youth baseball and ice hockey to all Mendham residents.

He was past chairman of the YMCA Camp Washington and Past Commander of the American Legion Post #59, organizer and officer of Morris Cablevision, and a volunteer fireman with the Resolute Hook & Ladder Company #1 in Morristown, and held all offices. He was a charter board member of the Morristown Partnership, and was an active volunteer with the Community Theater/The Mayo Performing Arts Center and the Washington Association of New Jersey.

He was a man of faith and a longtime parishioner and Past President and Trustee of the United Methodist Church in Morristown on the Green. Steadfast in his dedication, he served on the Board of Evergreen Cemetery in Morristown as Trustee and Vice President, his family cemetery for generations. 

In 1973, Glenn founded the non-profit organization, Morristown Beautiful Inc. after returning from a trip to Europe where he noticed how beautiful the towns were decorated with flower barrels.  He wanted to bring that to Morristown. The flower barrels in Morristown to this day continue to be planted each year by Morristown Beautiful, Inc.

Glenn was a long-time member of Morristown Rotary, a Paul Harris Fellow, and awarded “Citizen of the Year” in 2002. He enjoyed so much working on various community projects in service to others.

Most likely, his most beloved service to the community was in his steadfast dedication and deep love for the historic Morristown Green. As President of the Trustees of the Green for 30 years, he and his exceptional board spear-headed two major renovations of the Green in 1982 and 2007, helping to create, maintain and beautify the treasured, historic park in the center of Morristown. It is his enduring love of the Morristown Green that has been his tremendous gift to us all. Glenn always endeavored to do what was best for the “Good of the Green” and for the greater good. He was an extraordinary person, and we are all better for having him in our world.

Most of all, his greatest source of pride and joy came from his family. He was predeceased by his father Robert Lloyd Coutts, his mother Helen Beatrice (Muchmore) Coutts, his brothers Robert Lloyd Coutts, Jr. and Clive Muchmore Coutts.  Glenn is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Eleanor H. Coutts, son Glenn K. Coutts, Jr. (Sharon), daughters Linda Coutts Snyder (Kenneth) and Nancy Coutts, grandchildren, Glenn K. Coutts III (Amanda), Julie Coutts, Nicholas Benton and Rebecca Snyder, and great-grandchildren, Elliana Lynn Coutts and Adelina Marie Coutts and Giovanni Ciaburri.  

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 9th, from 6-8 PM at the Morristown United Methodist Church, 50 S Park Pl, Morristown, NJ 07960. A Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, February 10th, at 11 AM at the Morristown United Methodist Church, Morristown. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Morristown. Memorial donations in Glenn’s memory may be made to “The Trustees of the Morristown Green, Inc” 46 Washington Street, Morristown NJ 07960 or The Morristown United Methodist Church, 50 S Park Place, Morristown NJ 07960 or the Morristown Fire Bureau, 161 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown NJ 07960.

Singers are invited to join a Memorial Choir that will lead hymns and sing the anthem “The Gift of Love” during the funeral service. The Memorial Choir will rehearse at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning prior to the service, on the third floor of Morristown United Methodist Church. The Funeral Service will be livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/910468652