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Richard W. "Dick" Glover and his family at the 1991 Henrico Investiture, when officials take the oath of office and are formally conferred to their elected positions. (Photo courtesy Henrico County Public Relations and Media Services)
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At a Board of Supervisors regular meeting in September 1991, Richard W. "Dick" Glover awards a resolution of commendation to young men who won a bronze medal at the AAU Jr. Olympics. (Photo courtesy Henrico County Public Relations and Media Services)
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Richard W. "Dick" Glover speaks April 16, 2016, at the grand reopening of Fire House 10. (Photo courtesy Henrico County Public Relations and Media Services)
Henrico County Manager John Vithoulkas recalls meeting Richard W. “Dick” Glover during his first interview with the Board of Supervisors for a job with the county in 1997.
“At the end of the interview, Dick asked me about the order of operations in my life,” Vithoulkas says. “I was confused at first, but after telling him I didn’t understand the question, he explained that there were three important things: faith first, family second and work third. He said if I kept them straight in that order, I’d be all right. That just shows the type of guy he was.”
Glover, who had begun his sixth term as chairman last month, died Thursday at age 82. Beginning his tenure in 1988, Glover was the board’s longest serving active member and has been an integral part of the county for decades. He also served as a Henrico Planning Commission member from 1984 to1986.
Glover's death comes just two weeks after that of another longtime board member, David A. Kaechele, who served the Three Chopt District from 1980 to 2015.
Richard W. "Dick" Glover at the opening ceremony for Libbie Mill Library in October 2015. (Photo courtesy Henrico County Public Relations and Media Services)
Born in Lunenburg County, Glover was the son of a tobacco farmer and railroad worker. He served in the Navy and attended J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Vithoulkas, who spoke with Glover every day, says the chairman and his wife, Joan, had just celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary this week.
According to Vithoulkas, Glover was heavily involved in the financial aspects of Henrico’s government, well-known for his ability to remember numbers and statistics years after anyone else would have forgotten them. He was also known for his passion about Henrico’s youth, spearheading the creation of parks such as RF&P Park on Mountain Road.
Henrico spokeswoman Tam McKinney says Glover’s death was due to natural causes. Vice Chairwoman Patricia O’Bannon will assume Glover’s duties. McKinney also says that an interim supervisor will be appointed by the board to fill the now open Brookland District seat. At this time, there is no set date for a public memorial service, but flags in Henrico County will be flown at half staff in Glover’s honor until Friday, Feb. 10. Details about a memorial service will be available Saturday on Glover’s website, dickglover.com.
