Glen Allen Sites

September 8, 1940-August 2, 2026

Glen Allen Sites went to be with the Lord on August 2, 2026. He departed from the Hospice House in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Born near Hickory, North Carolina on September 8, 1940, his family called him Allen, because his dad, Luther Glen went by Glen. No matter what name his mother, Betty “Bea” may have shouted out at supper time, there’s no doubt he would be first at the table.

Glen was preceded into the arms of Jesus by his beloved wife of 63 years, Velma Glass Sites, and his parents, Luther Glen and Betty Mawyer Sites, both taken too soon by Hurricane Camille in 1969. His sisters, Jane and Katherine also preceded him into glory.

Surviving him are his brother, Ronnie Sites (Darlene), his children, Gary Sites (Debbie) and Debbie Spitler (Cecil), his grandchildren, Jimmy and Ben Spitler, Kim and Jacob Sites, his pal and sister-in-law, Carolyn Glass, and more friends than can be counted.

Glen was one of those rare gems who could bring a smile to anyone whom he came into contact with. He was proud of the description printed beneath his photo in his high school yearbook, “Greets you smiling. Leaves you laughing.” Whoever penned it perfectly captured his essence early on. He loved to laugh and had the gift of bringing joy and laughter to everyone. Truly, he never met a stranger. His passions were his family, photography, running, telling stories, western movies, and baseball. His favorite book was Zane Grey’s Riders of the Purple Sage.

He met the love of his life, Velma Glass at Nelson County High School in 1957. They married in 1959 and were inseparable for the next 63 years. No doubt they were made for each other, totally devoted to one another and their children. Together they made a home full of love for their children and their visiting friends, welcoming all with a sincere hospitality above measure. They attended just about every event their children were involved in, often traveling great distances to show support at ball games and band concerts. After their children were grown, they used their spare time and energy to visit and minister to the aged and lonely.

After graduating from Nelson County High School, Glen’s first job was at W.E. Brown’s in Charlottesville. A year of crawling under houses to fix water line breaks and such awoke in him a desire for work in which he wouldn’t have to get so dirty. So, in 1960 he took an accounting job at Stromberg-Carlson. Having always loved numbers, he excelled and soon found himself in the position of Time-Study Engineer. He served brilliantly there (later called Comdial) for 35 years, retiring in 1995 from the accounting department where he began.

In his mid 30’s Glen became an avid distance runner. It began as a walking program in his tenth of a mile long driveway to improve his health. Before long he was running the distance. Progress came swiftly, sending him out on the open road so he wouldn’t have to count all those trips back and forth in the driveway. He grew to love the experience so much that within a year he ran the Charlottesville 10-miler. After that he entered every race he could find, eventually graduating to 26 mile marathons, finishing several. Distance running in America was at its peak of popularity during these years. He caught the wave and enjoyed every mile.

A long-time usher at Rodes UMC in Afton, he was always a welcome, smiling face to parishioners and pilgrims on Sunday mornings. He was a firm believer and practitioner of Christ’s Golden Rule, admonishing his young children to “treat others the way you’d want to be treated”. God and everyone Glen ever met knew he surely lived the creed.

Christmas was always a special, magical time in the Sites home because of his love for the holiday. He certainly “decked the halls” with more than holly! He strung Christmas lights inside and out, illuminating a vast array of decorations meticulously placed. His favorite Ray Conniff Christmas albums played on the hi-fi stereo in the background, creating the most joyous atmosphere. He often stayed awake all night Christmas Eve to enjoy his decorations and arrange gifts under the tree.

It’s impossible to know how many lives Glen touched in a positive way throughout his life, but you wouldn’t be wrong to guess it was hundreds. He was always fun and easy to be around. His uncanny ability to playfully joke with anyone created countless friends. There is no way to replace him, but he surely left a lovely piece of himself in all of us.

A memorial service will be conducted in the chapel of McDow Funeral Home, 1701 W. Main St., Waynesboro, VA at 2:00 pm on Friday, August 7, 2026. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Hospice House in Charlottesville at hopva.org