Glenn Hemphill

***The slideshow and service is available below the obituary.***

Glenn Hemphill, 87, of Griswold, Iowa, died Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at Cass Health in Atlantic, Iowa.

Glenn Everett Hemphill was born on the farm south of Griswold, IA on October 13, 1938, to Leo & Mary (Railsback) Hemphill. Glenn was very active while helping his Dad raise cattle, hogs, soybeans, corn, and alfalfa. Shortly after Glenn’s 15th birthday, his father was disabled after being severely burnt in a farm accident. Glenn stepped up and ran the family farm while still in high school. Glenn later turned down a full-ride scholarship to study agriculture & business at Iowa State University, choosing to continue running the family farm & livestock operation while supporting their family.

Glenn served his country as a proud member of the Iowa National Guard for 6 years, while being stationed in Monterey, California and becoming an expert marksman. In addition to running the family farm, Glenn became a carpenter while helping build the Omaha post office, missile bases, and highway bridges on Interstate 80. At 19 years old, while constructing a bridge on Interstate 80 near Anita, IA, Glenn met Norma Barber, who was 14 at the time. Norma and Glenn quickly fell in love, dated for five years, and married on April 12, 1964.

Glenn‘s construction job and Norma‘s employment at Mutual of Omaha helped them purchase farmland south and east of Griswold. Glenn and Norma worked long hours & diligently while expanding their farm to include a large swine operation, a grain bin construction company, a soybean seed company, and a large grain elevator. After farming, Glenn started Hemphill Commodities & enjoyed working with Norma & their daughter Jody as a grain marketing advisor. Glenn enjoyed helping farmers and livestock producers for more than 45 years before retiring last fall just before his 87th birthday.

Glenn enjoyed meeting new friends, gardening, sharing the produce from their garden, yard work, attending the Iowa State Fair & Spencer County Fair, their annual Hemphill family reunion in Okoboji, and planting oak trees on their acreage south of Griswold where he admired a wide spectrum of birds. Glenn and Norma loved one another, roller-skating, dancing, attending sporting events for their children and grandchildren, walks, playing cards, picnics, fishing, church events, and simply being together as a couple and with their family in any capacity.

Glenn is survived by his wife Norma, their three children: Dan, JoAnn, and Jody, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren.

Son: Dan & his wife Susie Hemphill and their children: Camie & Lucas Wilke (great grandchildren: Luca & Maverick), Austin & Molly Hemphill, Miles Hemphill, and Carmel Hemphill.

Daughter: JoAnn & her husband Tracy Heddens and their children: Kyle & Caitlin Heddens (great grandchildren: Adelyn, Everett, Isaac, & Ian), Kelsey & Spencer Harder (great grandchildren: Ariah, Addy, Alex, & Autumn), Kyle & Kendra Doerr (great grandchildren: Isaiah and Razzy), and Kollin & Lexi Heddens.

Daughter: Jody & her husband Dan Rossell and their children: Danielle & Michael Mardesen, Marlia & Walker Mundorf (great grandchildren: Jaxon & Hunter), and Faith & Brent Radebaugh.

Sister: Doris Houser, sister-in-law Lola Peterson, brother in-law Tim Akers, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Glenn was preceded in death by his parents Leo Glenn Hemphill, Mary Ann (Railsback) Hemphill-Bailey, Harold Bailey (stepfather), Steven Houser (nephew), Dean Barber (nephew), numerous, brother and sister-in-law‘s, aunts and uncles, and cousins.

Please direct cards, contributions, and remembrances to Norma Hemphill 71031 560th Street, Griswold, Iowa 51535.

Visitation with family present will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday, December 29th at First Church of Christ in Atlantic, 1310 SW 7th St, Atlantic, IA 50022.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. the following morning, Tuesday, December 30th, at First Church of Christ, 1310 SW 7th St, Atlantic, IA 50022. Associate Pastor Daniel Langley will be presiding. Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery following a luncheon at the church.

The funeral service will be recorded and available for viewing by Wednesday evening.

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Glenn’s family and his arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.