Glenn P. Corbiere, Known to many as ODEMAN or the dragonfly photographer, Glenn was a remarkable self-taught naturalist, artist, and storyteller, with broad interests in literature and science. He loved hiking as much as great meals with good company. He was a respected power engineer and trusted manager at the Stony Brook plant at MMWEC (Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company) in Ludlow, where he worked since 1981. He shared his high standards and knowledge by mentoring others coming up in the field. Kind and generous, he quietly stepped up to help family and friends in need.
His intellectual and practical pursuits were wide-ranging. Delving deep into complex research, he chronicled the lives of ancestors. With genealogy as with other areas, Glenn shared his skill and time to help anyone in need of direction or help solving puzzles. His instinct to preserve and protect extended to nature and many smaller species. He knew countless birds and shared a practiced ear for their songs. Glenn went on to explore the habitats and varieties of butterflies and moths, before focusing on the order Odonata—dragonflies and damselflies. His gentle mode of capture required wading shoes, a tolerance for poison ivy, detailed knowledge of insect behavior and ecology, and boundless patience. He had strength to carry camera gear over trails, through meadows, and into some questionable ponds. Glenn had an undying desire to explore, document, and share the beauty of insects in their natural habitat. Through his website, dragonhunter.net, he sought to present every species in Massachusetts.
Some will remember his maroon striped bibs, straw hat, broad smile and exuberance—the only UMass Amherst basketball fan ever to appear on a game ticket. He held season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball, ice hockey, and football. He never missed a game. A huge fan of the UMass Hoop Band, he would linger in the stands, smiling through the last beats of Big Noise from Winnetka. Glenn was also a lifelong Boston sports fan. Music was another passion for Glenn, who was an avid listener with broad tastes. He played brass in high school band. COVID times found him practicing a trumpet or cornet daily and improving his ukulele technique. He was keen to catch an appearance and chat with a favorite slack key guitarist anywhere from Massachusetts to Hawaii, where the outdoors and wildlife were a tremendous draw.
Glenn Paul Corbiere was born May 4, 1956, in Lake Charles, LA, to the late Dolores Marie (Bissaillon) and Raymond Joseph Corbiere. He died of brain cancer, surrounded by family members on Friday, June 17, 2022, at Baystate Hospital in Springfield, MA. Deeply lamenting his sudden passing are Glenn’s son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Vicki Corbiere and his granddaughter Emaline, of Springfield; his daughter, Ashley Corbiere, of Chicopee; his wife and partner of twenty years, Susan (Sika) E. Berger, of Chester; stepson Goodwin Wharton of Los Angeles; and stepdaughter Elizabeth Rausch of Denver. Sika and Glenn met in Look Park and were married on the beach in Ipswich in 2017.
Glenn’s siblings and their families mourn his loss: Bruce and Christine Corbiere of Feeding Hills; Robin and Andrew Nally of Chicopee; Linda Beckwith of North Adams; brother-in-law Anthony Fusini, of Windsor; and Dolores (Dolly) and Stephen Weaver of Chicopee. Glenn was pre-deceased by his sister, Lisa Fusini. He is also survived by his former wife, Christine Horan, of Chicopee, mother of Eric and Ashley, and by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Calling hours are 5 – 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at the Boucher-O’Brien Funeral Home, 7 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA. Guests are asked to wear masks to protect all. A celebration of Glenn’s life will take place later this summer. Glenn’s philosophy of life is reflected in Loren Eiseley’s essay, The Star Thrower.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Glenn’s honor to The Trustees of Reservations at https://thetrustees.org/support
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