Glenn Joel Olander-Quamme

October 8, 1950- December 15, 2024

Glenn, 74 of Plymouth MN, passed away on December 15 2024 at St Therese Hospice center in Shoreview MN after a devastatingly swift battle with cancer, one he fought valiantly and without complaint. He was surrounded by his wife of 44 years, and two daughters when he took his last breath on this earth, “you sang him right into heaven” commented one of the kind hearted hospice nurses. In the weeks preceding his death, the legacy and impact of his life was apparent; with visitors and family coming from all over the country to spend time with their colleague, friend, uncle, brother, cousin.

Glenn is survived by his loyal wife, Patrice Olander-Quamme, daughters Hilary Olander-Quamme (Kevin Crawford), Rebecca Olander-Quamme; son-in-law Nathan Nelson, beloved grandchildren Loretta Grace Nelson and Cyrus Eric Nelson; Sisters Sonja Larkin & Norma Munson ( who passed on 1/09/25 in the same hospice bed as her baby brother); as well as dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members from around the world all of whom he cherished and loved. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph & Grace Quamme and his elder brother, Harlan Quamme, who he idolized from the moment he was born.

Glenn was the baby of the family, entering this world exactly nine months after his mother’s birthday -no doubt a coincidence - on October 8, 1950 to the late Joseph Hanson Quamme (nee Kvamme) and Grace Marie Carlson Quamme in Minneapolis, MN. He was a second generation Norwegian-Swede, raised by a hardworking laborer and endlessly loving home-maker in a wholesome Scandinavian neighborhood. He roamed and biked the blocks of NE Minneapolis as a wickedly smart and curious kid. Glenn adored his older brother, Harlan, frequently recounting shenanigans Harlan would put them both up to, usually involving fireworks or some sort of motorized toy that could fly. Glenn graduated top of his class from Edison High School in NE and maintained a relationship with his classmates over the decades after graduation by organizing and coordinating the reunions and establishing and posting regularly to their class Facebook group. Following high school, Glenn attended the University of Minnesota and received his Bachelor's Degree in Science with high distinction. A few years following his undergraduate, he was accepted in to the U of M Law School where he graduated in 1979, Magna Cum Laude. During his law student career he was a member of the Order of the Coif in 1977-1978; a nod to Glenn’s intellect and dedication to pursuing higher education. His legal path led him to sunny California after graduation, where he was licensed as an environmental attorney and would meet the love of his life, Patrice, on a blind date. After marrying, Glenn found a new job in his hometown of Minneapolis so the two moved to the Midwest. The move enabled them to be closer in proximity to much of Glenn’s family. He followed in his father’s footsteps a bit, working for Soo Line Railroads for many years as a railroad attorney. Glenn was a railroad lover and an environmental attorney for much of his life, holding his license for 46 years, and building a very solid community of brilliant colleagues around him.

Glenn was exquisitely intelligent, but not in a way that made you feel less intelligent. He was a collector and sharer of both knowledge and stories; he chronicled family lineages for not only both sides of his own family but for those of his wife, brother-in-law, son-in-law, and more. He loved to travel - a gift instilled in him by his mother from a young age- traversing the Appalachians many times to visit family in the DC area; spending a lot of time in the south with trips to Georgia & the Carolinas, and exploring the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. He shared many road trips with his daughters and their friends to Florida, New York, California and everywhere in-between. He had no hesitation to hop on an Amtrak, or hit the road solo in his Honda to cross the Rockies and visit his daughters during their time on the West Coast. He loved to visit family, no matter how distantly related - heck it didn’t really matter if they were related by blood at all - as he was endlessly curious to hear about their lives and to absorb as much as he could about his heritage. Glenn also took any opportunity he could to shoot ‘up north’ to Madeline Island, WI to visit his eldest daughter & his grand kids of which he was proud beyond measure. There, “Papa G”, could be found combing the shore on his favorite beaches for beach glass, or downtown eagerly chatting with any number of the island’s “characters” as he so lovingly referred to the community members that embraced him whole heartedly. He was a roamer, an explorer, a photographer. He took any chance he could get to go off the beaten path, to forego the map, always with a camera in tow and gaining the nicknames of 'Click’ and later ‘Houdini’ after, “Where’s Glenn?” became a question you couldn’t help but ask when he came for a visit and went exploring.

Our family is humbled and grateful for the outpouring of love we saw in his final weeks here with us. In the quieter times of those last weeks, Glenn was eager to share many stories and tearfully reminisced about so many of the wonderful people he loved and those who had impacted his life. It is hard to put in to a few paragraphs the greatness of a man such as Glenn. His dad jokes will ring in our ears for years to come and the stories he has shared will last a lifetime. The loss of his presence is immense to those who held him closest.

Please join us in celebrating his legacy and life on May 10, 2025 from 1-5 PM. We will gather at The Beach Club on Madeline Island, “drinks on me” as per his last wishes, and will celebrate with good food, music and some of the many photos he snapped over the span of his life. In leiu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity or to the American Cancer Society in memory of Glenn. For directions, ferry schedule and accommodations please visit www.madelineisland.com.  

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