Big heart leaves a big mark

For Glenn Feldman, laughter was as natural as breathing, and as necessary for life.

It was that sense of humor and larger-than-life personality that many friends and colleagues said made the Homewood native and longtime resident a beloved figure and presence everywhere he went.

Feldman passed away suddenly from a heart attack Oct. 19 at the age of 53 but not without first leaving a mark on the Homewood community and beyond.

From All Saints Episcopal Church, where Feldman was a Sunday School leader, to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he was a history professor, Feldman touched many lives.

“He was kind of a big kid,” said longtime friend and fellow Homewood resident Tracy Wooten. 

Most people knew Feldman because of his love of jokes, dancing, amusement parks and the Rolling Stones, she said. Calling him a character was an understatement, she said.

Auburn University professor Marty Olliff, who in 1992 was working on his doctorate at Auburn at the same time as Feldman, echoed Wooten’s sentiments.

“You knew when Glenn was on the hall,” Olliff said, remarking that Feldman had a special talent for imitations and practical jokes.

Longtime friend and fellow Homewood resident Mary Morgan once was the victim of one of these jokes at the Homewood public swimming pool. After hours of complaining to Feldman about the lifeguards strictly enforcing silly rules, she suddenly heard herself called out over the announcement system for reading a book, only to look up to find Feldman doubled over with laughter.

It was this humor that she said was an outward example of his inner joy. “He had just a tremendous love of life,” Morgan said.

Mark Lucas, who went to Homewood High School with Feldman, said that joy would spread to everyone Feldman was around, even if they didn’t know him personally.

“He was always up to something,” Lucas said, describing a scene where Feldman once inserted himself into the We Love Homewood parade with a sign reading, “Elect Glenn Feldman Dog Catcher.” 

However, for many, Feldman was far more than a comedian.

As a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, where his wife is the children’s formation director, Feldman was actively engaged as a member and a mentor.

“He had a profound effect on my child and my child’s spiritual growth,” Wooten said about Feldman helping lead her son’s Sunday school class.

Feldman was constantly moved to help and care for those less fortunate and wanted to instill that in everyone he met, Wooten said. “He was always helping the underdog,” she said.

Carol Ann Vaugn Cross, who was a doctoral student with Feldman at Auburn in 1993 and is now a professor at Samford University, said she will miss the serious conversations about life she had with Feldman, and the wisdom he would so willingly share.

“As a historian, he was one of the best. As a colleague, he was one of a kind. As a human being, he was one of the good guys. Capital ‘G’,” she said. “As my friend, he was irreplaceable.”

As a professional friend, Olliff said Feldman was always available, no matter how much time had passed. Feldman was always willing to give advice on research or simply offer words of encouragement, he said.

“He will be sorely missed in the historical community,” Olliff said. “We are lesser for it.”

Professionally, Feldman had a significant impact on the academic community, colleagues said. Colin Davis, chairman of the history department at UAB, said Feldman would be sorely missed by faculty and students alike.

“He didn’t hold back,” Davis said, noting that Feldman’s student evaluations almost always described a dynamic educator well-liked by those he taught.

Feldman held five degrees and authored eleven books of original scholarship, most of them focused on the history of race relations and economics in the South. He also wrote more than 150 published articles, with at least 40 published in scholarly journals.

Davis said that despite his “dazzling career,” Feldman didn’t “strut around the corridors or pat himself on the back,” but was a team player whose energy and confidence would be missed.

Wooten said that, ultimately, Feldman’s fierce love for his family is what stands out the most. He is survived by his wife Jeannie and daughters Hallie and Rebecca.

“It’s the kind of family that we always strive to have,” Wooten said, noting that Feldman would often make the long trip to Auburn to see his oldest daughter and drove an old van so his girls could have safe, reliable cars. “His family really came first.”