Mary Ellen Glaser

Mary Ellen Glaser was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 7, 1942. She passed away peacefully in Santa Ana, California on May 25, 2025 after a long illness. She was predeceased by her husband, Jack, and her two brothers, Phil and Garrett. Her parents were William and Agnes Brodhead. She was the third of ten children, and a much loved daughter and sister. Her siblings are Phil Brodhead, Bill and Kathi Brodhead, Garrett Brodhead and Vicki McCollum, Doss and Bart Margiotta, Grace and Randy Russell, Andy Brodhead, Mal and Jimmy Murphy, Peter and Ellie Brodhead, and Rody and Thom Olmstead. She has many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and loved everyone dearly. 

As a young adult, Mary Ellen was a Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ). She later met Jack, a Jesuit priest, and they decided to leave religious life to create a life and family together. They raised their two children in and near Detroit, Michigan and in Santa Ana, California. She was a loving and generous mother and grandmother to her son Brian Glaser, his wife Melanie Rios Glaser, and their children Andoe and John Glaser, her daughter Meg Teran, her husband Diego Teran and their children Diego Andres, Claire, and Sabine Teran. 

Throughout her career in early childhood education and social work, she was dedicated to service and shining a light on people’s gifts. Mary Ellen received her BA from Barat College, her MA from Marygrove College, and her MSW from USC. She founded Farmington Hills Montessori School in Michigan, and later practiced social work for three decades in California. She found fulfillment in supervising social workers at the beginning of their careers, and was a trusted mentor to many. 

She volunteered her time and heart at all stages of her life, serving on the boards of The Wooden Floor and Hands Together in Santa Ana. Her beautiful and generous spirit will continue to guide us. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Santa Ana-based nonprofit organizations Concern America  https://concernamerica.org/donate/, an international-focused community development organization working in health care and clean water, or Hands Together https://www.handstogether-sa.org/donate, which provides preschool and licensed childcare and runs Morning Garden, a workforce development program for low-income mothers with preschoolers. 

A Funeral Mass for Mary Ellen will be at Saint Joseph’s Church in Santa Ana, CA on June 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.