Glen Douglas Langston

Glen Douglas Langston, 34, beloved son and brother, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2016. Born in Pullman, WA, Glen was the son of Michael and Ina Langston. He graduated from Karns High School in 2000 and earned a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee. Glen maintained a wide spectrum of interests, from music to motorcycles. But his passions were human physiology and engineering mechanics. He led numerous efforts in medical device technology for the design of artificial joints used in orthopedic surgery. He previously held positions with DeRoyal Industries in Powell, TN, and with Wright Medical Group in Memphis, TN. He was Director of Research and Development at Vilex in McMinnville, TN, at the time of his passing. Glen was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, A. D. Langston; maternal grandparents, Dan and Coomie Lee Stedham. He is survived by his parents, paternal grandmother, Wanda Langston; sister, Kathlin (Lucian) Godwin; brother, Keith Langston; niece, Lucy Godwin; four aunts; three uncles; ten cousins; numerous cherished friends and colleagues. Family and friends will gather on Sunday, July 31st from 4 pm to 6 pm at Berry Highland West on Sherrill Blvd. to celebrate Glen’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America http://www.ccfa.org. Condolences may be offered at www.berryhighlandwest.com.

In Memoriam – Glen Langston

It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of Glen Langston. With his passing, Vilex has lost a colleague, superb engineer, and dear friend and we are left with an immeasurable void in our hearts.

For those of you who got to know Glen over the years, he always had a story to tell. His passion for his work and pride for his projects as an engineer, a designer, and a thinker was unparalleled, and surely recognized by everyone who had the pleasure of interacting with him. Whether you were a sales rep with a last minute question about a surgical procedure, wanted to provide feedback on a case, or a surgeon with an idea, Glen had an open ear and a detailed response, sometimes best kept for a 3:00 am e-mail with his signature smile, wink, or chuckle.

While Glen had only been with Vilex for a few years, his impact was significant and immediate. His industry knowledge provided Vilex valuable engineering at an important time of growth for our company, and the quality and breadth of our product portfolio benefited from his contributions.

Glen’s professional contributions were meaningful, but we will miss most of all everything that made Glen a unique and dynamic individual: his passion, charm, wit, a keen sense of humor which could bring levity to any situation, and his fighting spirit. His intellect was on another level and he was a teacher to us all. On more personal levels, his tastes in music and culture broadened our minds. He was admired, respected, and built meaningful friendships with all those he worked with.

As a company and a small business, we mourn the loss of a close colleague, friend, bright mind and talented engineer taken from our tightknit Vilex family far too soon. Surely, not one individual could ever replace such a brilliant mind. However, to mourn this loss without celebrating the life and accomplishments would be a disservice to Glen’s passion and commitment to his work. At this time, we celebrate Glen’s life, service, and contribution to our profession and society. In the orthopedic world, engineers have a unique ability to improve the lives of many without knowing their beneficiary or their recipient knowing their benefactor. Typically, an engineer does not receive the traditional accolade bestowed upon the medical team. Glen’s designs, inventions, and work product helped the healing of countless individuals and will remain part of his legacy as the devices he helped develop continue to improve the lives of others far into the future.