Annie Glenn
Encyclopedia
Annie Glenn, born Anna Margaret Castor (born February 17, 1920), is the wife of former astronaut
and Senator
John Glenn
.
. In 1923, Dr. Castor and his family moved to New Concord, Ohio
, where they became friends with the family of John Hershel Glenn, Sr. Annie and John Glenn, Jr., were childhood playmates, then high school sweethearts, and after John received his commission in the Marine Corps
, they were married on April 6, 1943. The Glenns have two children, David and Carolyn.
. An accomplished organist
, she received a BS degree in 1942, with majors in music and art.
in Roanoke, Virginia
, and although she does not consider herself "cured," she now speaks freely and gives speeches at public events.
In 1983, she received the first national award of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
for "providing an inspiring model for people with communicative disorders." In 1987, the association honored her by asking her to present the first annual Annie Glenn Award for achieving distinction despite a communication disorder. Actor James Earl Jones
was the first recipient.
She was inducted into the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame.
. She is also a member of the Advisory Panel of the Central Ohio Speech and Hearing Association.
in the 1983 movie The Right Stuff. The film highlighted her stuttering problem, particularly in a scene involving then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson
during the buildup to John Glenn's Friendship 7 flight.
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
.
Private life
Annie was born in 1920 to Homer and Margaret Castor of Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. In 1923, Dr. Castor and his family moved to New Concord, Ohio
New Concord, Ohio
New Concord is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,651 at the 2000 census. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of the Muskingum County Library System.-Geography:...
, where they became friends with the family of John Hershel Glenn, Sr. Annie and John Glenn, Jr., were childhood playmates, then high school sweethearts, and after John received his commission in the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, they were married on April 6, 1943. The Glenns have two children, David and Carolyn.
Education
Like her husband John, Annie attended New Concord public schools and continued her education at Muskingum CollegeMuskingum College
Muskingum University is a private four-year comprehensive college with a strong liberal arts tradition located in New Concord, Ohio, approximately sixty miles east of the state capital of Columbus. Founded in 1837, Muskingum University is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , although since the...
. An accomplished organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, she received a BS degree in 1942, with majors in music and art.
Speech impairment
Like her father, Glenn has had a severe stuttering problem all her life. In 1973, she completed an intensive program at the Communications Research Institute at Hollins UniversityHollins University
Hollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, and although she does not consider herself "cured," she now speaks freely and gives speeches at public events.
In 1983, she received the first national award of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
The American Speech–Language–Hearing Association is a professional association for speech–language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally...
for "providing an inspiring model for people with communicative disorders." In 1987, the association honored her by asking her to present the first annual Annie Glenn Award for achieving distinction despite a communication disorder. Actor James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
was the first recipient.
She was inducted into the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame.
Community service
Always active in community service, Glenn has had a lifelong interest in programs for children, the elderly, and the handicapped. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Center for Survivors of Childhood Abuse and serves on the Advisory Board for the National First Ladies' Library. She serves on the National Deafness and other Communication Disorders Advisory Council of the National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
. She is also a member of the Advisory Panel of the Central Ohio Speech and Hearing Association.
Memberships
Organizations of which she is a member include:- Delta Gamma Theta Sorority (Muskingum College)
- The Ohio Board of Child Abuse
- The Board of Columbus (Ohio) Speech and Hearing Center
- The Society of Sponsors.
- The Board of Trustees of Muskingum College
- The Advisory Panel of the Central Ohio Speech and Hearing Association
- The Advisory Board for the National Center for Survivors of Childhood Abuse
- The Board for the National First Ladies' Library
- The National Deafness and other Communication Disorders Advisory Council of the National Institutes of Health.
In the movies
Glenn was played by Mary Jo DeschanelMary Jo Deschanel
-Life and career:Deschanel was born as Mary Jo Weir. In her first major appearance in show business in 1983, Deschanel played Annie Glenn, the wife of the astronaut John Glenn in the movie adaptation of the Tom Wolfe book, The Right Stuff....
in the 1983 movie The Right Stuff. The film highlighted her stuttering problem, particularly in a scene involving then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
during the buildup to John Glenn's Friendship 7 flight.