Funeral home owner to lead parade

Director of the Glackin-Saul Funeral Home, Bill Glackin, will serve as grand marshal of the Hightstown Memorial Day Parade.

By: Marisa Maldonado
   HIGHTSTOWN — Bill Glackin has been involved in numerous civic organizations in the borough, not to mention his position as director of the Glackin-Saul Funeral Home.
   On May 30 the longtime borough resident, who moved to Hamilton last year, will add his duty as grand marshal of the Hightstown Memorial Day Parade to his list.
   But Mr. Glackin said he views the latest addition to his "obit" — as his three children describe his resume — as a chance to represent his fellow veterans, not inflate his ego.
   "This isn’t about Bill Glackin," said the 73-year-old, who said he has never missed a Memorial Day parade since he started his business in Hightstown in 1957. "This is about why we have a Memorial Day — to honor those who served their country."
   He has a reason to feel strongly about remembering veterans — Mr. Glackin served in the Army’s 505 Airborne Infantry Regiment and 82nd Airborne Division for five years in the early 1950s. From his base in Georgia, he helped send soldiers in the Korean War supplies such as tents.
   "Everybody plays a part," he said. "You’re a spoke in the wheel."
   But he acknowledges that the community of veterans such as himself has declined in recent years, although the area still has a strong presence of Vietnam veterans.
   "The World War II veterans have reached that age bracket when they’re passing away," he said.
   But Mr. Glackin said he is proud of his time in the service, as he is of the almost 50 years he has spent helping families through trying times as director of the funeral home, which he started with his wife, Patricia, in 1957.
   Mr. Glackin became interested in the funeral business as a senior in high school, when his grandmother died. His family held a traditional Irish funeral for her at their home in Washington Township.
   "The light bulb went on, like General Electric," he said. He then went to study at the McAllister College of Embalming in New York City and worked at several other funeral homes before starting his own.
   The growth in the area — Mr. Glackin said he remembers when Twin Rivers used to be farmland — have made for an interesting experience, he said. He is used to accommodating the needs of different cultures and religions in planning funeral arrangements and compares running a funeral home to the United Nations.
   "This is my 56th year," Mr. Glackin said. "Very little could possibly come up that I haven’t experienced somewhere."
   Mrs. Glackin, who died last year, handled the office work in the home. That gave Mr. Glackin plenty of time to focus on what he loves most about the job — interacting with his customers.
   "If we have served a family, there is a reasonably good chance we will continue to serve them," he said. "You become so invested in the family…. That was a driving force to me."
   He’s used to being called nicknames such as "digger" by friends, but said he takes seriously his duties and the confidentiality of his patients. He likes to say he devoted his life to being "everything to everybody."
   He may ask "10,000 questions" when families bring their loved ones to the home, but he said he’d try to help regardless of the answers.
   "It all goes back to service," he said. "I never asked political parties, religious affiliation or anything like that. I was here to serve the community."
   And he will do that on May 30th as well — although he is not sure how he will be doing so.
   "I’ve asked some people (what to do)," he said. "They tell me two words: Show up."