Glenn Arthur Meyer, M.D.

Born March 8^th, 1934

Passed July 26^th, 2021 in the loving arms of his family at his home at Stone Fences Farm.

Glenn was born at Reedsburg Hospital, the son of Ilsa and Arthur Meyer. He graduated at 16 from Reedsburg High School. He attended the University of Wisconsin Agricultural School, then transferred to the University of Minnesota Veterinary school. A standout and brilliant student, Glenn took the advice of his professors and returned to UW-Madison, where he entered medical school, graduating in 1960. He then went to Hennepin County Hospital in Minneapolis for a rotating internship. It was during this internship that he decided to become a neurosurgeon, and it was there that he met his future wife, Tizza Swanson. They were wed in 1961, and remained married until his passing, some 60 years later.

Glenn served his residency in Neurosurgery at UW-Madison and was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War at age 34. He served at Walter Reed and Gettysburg Hospital for three years, entering as a Captain, and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at the time of his honorable discharge. While performing research at Walter Reed, he found a love for academic medicine, ultimately taking a position at the University of Texas as an Assistant Professor. It was here that he was able to innovate many new and advanced surgical procedures, including the first cranio-facial reconstruction performed on a child in America.

After three years, he was asked to join Dr. Sanford Larson at the Medical College of Wisconsin as founder of their Department of Neurosurgery. He began as an Associate Professor, eventually becoming a full Professor of Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics, and Orthopedic Surgery. It was here that he pioneered Micro Neurosurgical techniques at County Hospital in Milwaukee. He also served as an Emergency Room Neurosurgeon, working tirelessly and on-call 24 hours a day, often seven days a week.

Glenn served on the committee to bring Children’s Hospital from downtown Milwaukee to its current home on the MCW/Froedtert Hospital campus. He was also part of the committee to bring Froedtert Hospital to fruition.

Among his many affiliations, he served as President of the Milwaukee Neuropsychiatric Association, President of the Milwaukee Inter-urban Neurological Society, worked with NASA in tumor research, was widely considered an expert in the application of micro neurosurgical endoscopic and neuro-navigational techniques for the treatment of brain and spinal tumors and cranial nerve disfunctions. He was a prolific researcher, contributed to many papers, attended and presented at conferences globally, and held two patents for intracranial medical devices. He was awarded by his peers the Smallwood Award for excellent treatment of patients. He was also President of his Rotary club, where he received their highest accolade, the Paul Harris Award. He was also a member of MENSA.

Glenn was a farm boy at heart and a tireless worker. He was happiest at the farm he and Tizza shared, messing about on his tractor, tending his flock of sheep, or shoveling manure with his faithful dog by his side. He had a love of cars too, and many nights he’d rumble out of the neighborhood in one of his favorite muscle cars. He always said a Pontiac Trans-Am or a Toyota Supra was just a practical choice when you had to save precious minutes on the way to the E.R. at 2 am. Glenn’s clever, dry sense of humor and intellect often combined to provide a source of entertainment for those around him.

“Glenn’s service and leadership at MCW and in the Department of Neurosurgery made this place, and made this a better place. He will forever be revered as a mentor and colleague.” – John R. Raymond, President & CEO, Medical College of Wisconsin.

Glenn is survived by his loving wife Tizza Meyer, by his sister Joyce Hartzell, Son Gregory Meyer (Linda) Daughter Melissa Meyer, Son G. Andrew Meyer (Renee), Granddaughter Alexandra Moore (Max), Grandson Griffin Meyer, Granddaughter Maia Rivoire, Grandson Augustus Rivoire, Grandsons Garrett and Gavin Meyer, and their mother Laura Meyer. Also survived by great-granddaughter Chase Moore, brothers-in-law Deak (Cindi), Bobby (MaryAnne) Swanson, and sister-in-law Janie Pressnall (Richard), Kathrine Swanson, and Jeanne Swanson. Also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, and his beloved Standard Poodle BoBee.

He was preceded in death by sister Ada Grover, his mother and Father, Ilsa and Arthur Meyer, His mother and father-in-law Harold and Ione Swanson, brothers-in-law Gary Swanson and Leo Binkowski.

There will be a celebration of his life at the place he loved most, Stone Fences Farm, on August 28th, 2021, at 2:00 PM.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers or gifts, a donation may be made to University of Wisconsin Medical School Scholarship Fund or the Medical College of Wisconsin Scholarship Fund.