Glen Suiter

Glen H. Suiter, 89, a resident of Davenport, Iowa and formerly of Princeton, Iowa died on Sunday, May 12, 2013 at the Kahl Home for the Aged in Davenport.
A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, May 17, 2013 at the Princeton Presbyterian Church where he was a life-long member.  He will be laid to rest at Glendale Cemetery in LeClaire, Iowa where military honors will be conducted.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Thursday at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf.  Additional visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Friday at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Princeton Presbyterian Church, the American Red Cross or a favorite charity.
He was born July 15, 1923 in Princeton, the son of Zach and Marie (Holst) Suiter and was a graduate of Davenport High School.  He attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport for two years and continued at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  Prior to graduating, World War II had begun and Glen enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942.  After his basic training and Landing Craft School, Glen reported for duty in New Orleans, Louisiana. On September 2, 1944, he was united in marriage to Ruthann Swallum in New Orleans, Louisiana.    Later in 1944, he was commissioned as an Ensign and shipped out of New Orleans bound for Pearl Harbor where he became Captain of a LCT-1084 (Landing Craft Tank).  In 1945, he shipped out of Hawaii to Johnston Island and other islands in the South Pacific and became part of a 36-ship flotilla.  In 1945, the war was over and Glen returned to Iowa with his beloved bride.
At the age of 27, Glen joined his father at the Farmer’s Savings Bank of Princeton.  Glen’s father died in 1948 and with a meager amount of experience in banking, Glen took the helm in the bank’s operation. Through the years, he advanced through the ranks and was named President in the late 1960’s.  In 1966, Glen chartered a new bank, the LeClaire State Bank in LeClaire, Iowa and the two banks merged in 1996 becoming the Great River Bank & Trust.  Glen was named Chairman of the Board in 1988 and at his retirement in 2001, became Chairman Emeritus.
His memberships included the University of Iowa Fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, the University of Wisconsin School of Banking in Madison, Wisconsin, the Scott County Bankers Association and was named a 50-year Iowa Banker by the Iowa Bankers Association.  In addition, he was a member of the Buffalo Bill Chapter 347 of the American Legion of LeClaire, the Buffalo Bill Museum, the LeClaire Businessmen’s Association, the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce, the North Scott School Board, the Iowa Quarterback Club, the Crow Valley Country Club, the Davenport Club, the Davenport County Club and the Davenport Outing Club.  He was also the former Treasurer of Princeton Building Corporation (owner of the community hall), the Princeton Booster Club and was the former treasurer for the City of Princeton.   He was also a member of the Lindsay Park Yacht Club, the Propeller Club and the Great Lakes Cruising Association.  In 1972, he developed a subdivision in LeClaire known as Woods and Meadows.  Glen had a passion for community and his many affiliations, activities and hours of service reflected this commitment.
Glen enjoyed many years of retirement with his second wife, Jean V. Daut, whom he married on March 13, 1971.  Together they traveled on their boat throughout the Bahamas, north to Alaska, south to the Baha Peninsula, and along the eastern seaboard of the States.  They finally settled for many years aboard Unforgettable in the San Diego area.  Family and friends enjoyed many visits to see Glen and Jean and were welcomed warmly and with great hospitality.
Glen left a tremendous legacy and will always be remembered as a warm, generous man whose memory will remain alive and well in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.  Many will smile and reflect on his favorite quote "The harder I work, the luckier I get" and make a commitment to live with the same passion and determination.
Those left to honor his memory include his children, Anne (William) Cherowitzo of Erie, Colorado, Stephen (Ann) Suiter of Bettendorf, Sarah Danaher of Boulder, Colorado and Jane (David) Lakeman of LeClaire; his grandchildren, Peter (Jill) Ditmon, Thomas Ditmon, Patrick Danaher, Matthew Danaher, Gregory Gahard, Grant Gahard, Philip Suiter & his fiancé, Rebecca Smith, Zach Suiter & Scott Suiter; his great-grandchildren, Katie Ditmon and Lukas Ditmon; his step-children, D’Arcy Barnett of Des Moines, Iowa and Marshall (Carol) Daut of Davenport; his step-granddaughter, Katherine Barnett; and many other relatives and wonderful friends.
Glen was preceded in death by his wife, Ruthann on October 2, 1968 and his wife, Jean on November 22, 2001.  Additional relatives who preceded him in death were his sister, Lois Suiter O’Malley, his brother-in-law, William J. O’Malley; his son-in-law, John “Jake” Danaher; his step-daughter, Cherie Netszosie; and his step-son-in-law, James Barnett.