Glenn Hockenberry

Glenn Wood Hockenberry, 86, of Liverpool, New York, died of a broken heart on June 3, 2025, just 54 days after the unexpected passing of his wife, Carol.

Born in DuBois, Pennsylvania, to George Wood Hockenberry and Avanell Margaret Bloom, Glenn grew up in a family of railroaders in Punxsutawney. He was involved in Boy Scouts, earning the rank of Life Scout, and loved sharing his memories of camp adventures.

After high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served honorably in the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War. Glenn specialized in aircraft surveillance equipment, working on the Lockheed U-2 and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.

Upon his discharge from the USAF, Glenn became a field engineer for the Burroughs Corporation in the Pittsburgh area. He repaired adding machines and banking equipment for a whopping $64 per week!

Glenn was introduced to his future wife, Carol Ann Lacava, by his cousin Nancy, who happened to be Carol’s coworker. The pair were married in 1965 at the First United Methodist Church in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Within a few years, Glenn and Carol welcomed their daughters, Amy Lynn and Ann Kristine. The couple would have celebrated 60 years of marriage together this fall.

While living in Greensburg, Glenn volunteered as an EMT with the Mutual Aid Ambulance Service. One of the highlights was that he got to be part of the medical crew on the sidelines at Pittsburgh Steelers games at the then-Three Rivers Stadium.

In 1977, Glenn became an instructor at the Burroughs Field Engineer Training Center in Syracuse, New York. He next worked as a computer hardware specialist with Unisys, then Universal Financial, from which he retired in 2002. Not quite ready to be fully retired, he worked part-time as a Hertz shuttle at Hancock Airport until March 2020.

Meticulous and methodical in everything he did, Glenn had a never-ending thirst for knowledge, be it learning from his 1963 Encyclopedia Americana set, studying manuals for new purchases, memorizing charts of the St. Lawrence River or maps for road trips, reading mystery novels, or working crossword puzzles.

Glenn was a lifelong jazz aficionado, and anyone who spent any time with him knew his biggest regret in life was giving up playing the drums after the Air Force. He also loved spending time boating, fishing, and golfing near Alexandria Bay, NY; supporting the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Syracuse Orange; amateur landscape photography; gardening; and researching genealogy with Carol.

One of Glenn’s biggest thrills was achieving his dream of flying a glider, which he finally accomplished on his 80th birthday.

In addition to his loving wife, Glenn was predeceased by his parents, George & Avanell Hockenberry; his brothers Charles “Chuck” (Millie) Hockenberry and George (Margie) Hockenberry; his cousin Nancy Morton; and sister-in-law Anita (Ralph) Lacava Thorne. He is survived by his daughters, Amy (John) Hockenberry Pfeifer of Liverpool, NY and Ann (Andrew) Hockenberry Hause of Lawrence, KS; and his four grandchildren: Hannah Spring Pfeifer (Anthony Ciccotosto) of West Chester, PA, Madeline Grace “Maisie” Pfeifer of Liverpool, NY, Nora Catherine Hause of Lawrence, KS and Nicholas Truman Hause of Lawrence, KS. Glenn is also survived by his niece, Adrienne Thorne Cronin of Zelienople, PA; his nephew, Greg (Barb) Hockenberry of Indiana, PA; and his cousins, Jenifer Morton Eubanks of Coshocton, OH, and Lee (Ann) Bloom of PA; and many other cousins and dear friends.

His family wishes to thank Dr. James Berry at Colon Rectal Associates of CNY, Dr. Steven Duffy and Brooke Binion, PA, at HOA of CNY, and the staff at Crouse Hospital 4 Memorial and Elderwood of Liverpool for the care and compassion shown to Glenn.

Contributions in Glenn’s memory may be made to Honor Flight Syracuse. Click here to donate.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, from 5 pm to 7 pm at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 705 N. Main Street, North Syracuse, NY 13212. Private interment with military honors will be at Pine Plains Cemetery in Clay, NY.

To share a memory of Glenn or leave a special message for his family, visit the guest book below.