Roger Glawatz will be in local history books for decades of work on behalf of Seward and Seward County, but his friends will remember his drive to learn, his understanding of many issues, his love for dancing, and his sense of humor.
“He had a great laugh,” said longtime friend Greg Zabka.
Glawatz, who died March 8 at 81, packed a lot into his years, starting his civic career in 1974 with six years on the Seward Planning Commission, followed by 15 years in two streaks on the Seward City Council, 15 years as mayor, first completing the late Fred Welsh’s term, then running himself a few years later, and four years on the Seward County Board of Commissioners.
That is 40 years of public service, not counting the simultaneous leadership roles he had as a Seward Foundation cofounder, and board member and/or president of the League of Nebraska Municipalities, Seward County Economic Development Corporation, Seward Area Chamber of Commerce and Seward Cemetery Committee.
Or the hours he devoted to St. John Lutheran Church in Seward chairing several church committees and serving as congregation vice president, St. John school board member, Concordia University regent, foundation board and alumni association leader among other local and synod roles.
Among other recognition Glawatz received was the Seward Community Service Award for July 4, 2020.
People who saw his leadership note the thought he put into plans and decisions, his preparation to speak on behalf of his community, his listening skills, and his ability to facilitate disparate opinions toward solid plans.
During those years the city took on water quality issues, the move toward a water treatment plant, a new library, merging city and county emergency communication services, a new pool, new seating at the bandshell and many other projects.
“He was so conscientious,” said Pat Coldiron who during his mayoral years became executive director of the Seward Chamber of Commerce (now expanded into the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership). “He really put a great deal of thought into doing the best he could for his community.”
Current Seward Mayor Josh Eickmeier agreed.
“He was always willing to stand up and do what needed to be done in the community,” he said, noting that Glawatz was thoughtful, considerate and big-hearted.
He would also give advice when asked, which Eickmeier did before seeking elected office. Eickmeier was not sure which office he would seek until after he spoke with then-Mayor Glawatz.
After some conversation, Glawatz told Eickmeier if he sought the mayor’s office, he would not seek re-election, which would provide Glawatz an opportunity to serve in a different way.
Glawatz then ran for Seward County commissioner and retired from his nearly 40-year commute to the Nebraska Department of Education in Lincoln.
“He will be greatly missed,” Eickmeier said.
Clark Kolterman knew Glawatz through the Seward Fourth of July Committee, church, Rotary Club and other activities and said he was loyal, visionary and supportive.
“He really lived the motto of Rotary, Service Above Self,” Kolterman said. “He was a leader of so many organizations.”
Ryne Seaman, current president of the Seward Foundation, said Glawatz and the other founders were visionary in 1981 when they created the entity to serve both the city and school district’s future needs and opportunities.
The structure has allowed the foundation to do more than either entity could have done on its own, he said, with two board members from the city council, two from the school board, and three from the community at large.
“It was visionary from that perspective,” Seaman said.
Glawatz was born and raised in Deshler and moved to Strasburg, Illinois, after graduating from Concordia. He taught junior high and coached boys’ basketball there while he and his first wife, Karen, welcomed a son, Peter, to the family.
They returned to Seward in 1973 and Glawatz began his vocational rehabilitation counseling career at the Nebraska Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation Services.
He earned a graduate degree in counseling, psychology, sociology and special education and served in Lancaster, Saline and Seward counties as a certified rehab counselor. He was an area administrator the last seven years before he retired.
Glawatz married Sharon in 1979 and they welcomed son, Matthew.
During those early Seward years, Glawatz also spent time as the assistant manager of Otto Sahn’s Conoco station at Main and Fourth, where he also met Mel Bolte, who encouraged Glawatz to take his place on the Planning Commission. Later Sahn encouraged him to run for council, Glawatz told the Independent in 2011.
In addition to the advice he got, Glawatz also honed some mechanic skills for one of his other passions – cars. He was particularly fond of a '66 GTO he purchased new around 1967. The family still owns it.
Glawatz enjoyed repairing them and shining old cars up, but rarely drove them.
The cars became a family project and family was important to Glawatz.
“He taught me a lot about cars, too,” Matthew Glawatz said. “He helped me fix up my first car, which was actually my grandparents’ Buick LeSabre.”
His father told the Seward County Independent in a 2014 profile that he stepped away from being mayor in 1994 and returned to the city council, to spend more time with his family. Matthew was a young teen then and Peter was a young adult.
Zabka met Glawatz shortly after he returned to Seward. They were both on the Planning Commission and in Rotary Club. Over the years, the Glawatzes and Zabka and his wife, Dixie, socialized in a group called the Magazine Club, which met to discuss articles or events.
“If you had a question about anything, Roger would certainly give you an honest answer,” Zabka said. “You could really trust anything that Roger would say.”
Later, friends formed a Gourmet Club that often went out to dinner. Kolterman said if there was a dance floor, the Glawatzes danced.
“He and Sharon were very good dancers,” Kolterman said. “When we would go out, they would lead the party.”
Matthew Glawatz said his parents were avid swing-style dancers frequenting the Flying V or Pla-Mor ballrooms.
He recalls when they had 1950's-themed ensembles for swing dances – Roger in a white suit and hat, wearing a pink carnation, Sharon in a poodle skirt, and Matthew in his own white suit, heading out in a white '66 Buick Riviera.
With dance, too, Glawatz showed a passion to learn and act.
“He lived his whole life with service in mind. He never sought recognition,” Matthew Glawatz said. “I try to use that through my life, just his commitment to seeing things through.”
