Nancy Wong Glaser

Nancy Wong Glaser of Denver, Colorado died April 5, 2024, at the age of 82. Born October 5, 1941 in Durango, Colorado, she was the seventh of eight children of Sam and Yee-Shee Wong.

Growing up in Durango, Nancy was a cheerleader, played the flute, and worked two jobs: one at the local malt shop and one at The Mandarin Cafe (the family restaurant).

After earning her bachelor's degree between the University of Colorado and Fort Lewis College, Nancy became a flight attendant for Braniff International Airlines. She worked primarily Trans-Pacific routes, including MAC charter flights for the U.S. military during the Vietnam War (sometimes with Viet Cong bullets whizzing past the wings during takeoff).

While, as she put it, "walking across the Pacific", on one of those flights, she met an Air Force Captain named Elwood Glaser. Nancy and Elwood married in the Philippines on January 22, 1969, and were together for 52 years until his passing in March of 2021.

After Braniff went bankrupt in 1982, Nancy began a second career in education. Working mostly in special education, she eventually retired as the Custodian of Student Records for Denver Public Schools.

Known for an acerbic wit, great sense of humor, and exceptional culinary talent, Nancy was beloved by the majority of those who had the good fortune to know her. She is survived by her son Paul, and her sisters Goodie and Mary.