North Branch, MN - Glen Vant, 72, of North Branch, MN, passed away on July 24, 2025 from complications following a stroke.

Glen was born on December 29, 1952 to Donald and Patricia (Johanson) Vant. He grew up in Fridley, MN, with his older brother Gary and younger brother Steve. As a kid, Glen had a mischievous streak - he loved playing pranks and developed an early passion for fast cars and motorcycles. He and his best friend Terry were always up to something.

After turning 18, Glen joined the Army and was stationed in Hawaii as a truck driver and later a company clerk for the office. He was proud of his military service and often shared stories about scuba diving in Hawaii and meeting people during his time there.

Following the Army, Glen moved to Billings, MT, where he became a police officer and met his first wife, Diane. They moved back to Minnesota, married, and raised two children, Adrienne and Christopher.

Glen built a busy and full life centered around family, hard work, and fun. He poured his time and energy into finishing basements, constructing barns, and putting up horse fences, transforming each house into a home and hobby farm for his family. He enjoyed road trips, horse camping, trail rides, driving his 74' Stingray Corvette, and spending time with friends and family. He didn't miss a summer going to the State Fair or a local county fair, always on a quest to find the best mini-donuts.

Whether at home or work, Glen had a talent for analyzing how things could be done better, safer, or more efficiently. Glen spent most of his career as the Director of Safety and Security for Radisson Hotels. A highlight of his career was spending six months in Moscow, Russia, helping implement safety and security standards at new hotels.

After retiring, Glen moved to North Branch to be closer to family. He bought another motorcycle and made a few road trips back to Montana. Retirement didn't slow him down for long, and he became a school bus driver for North Branch. He talked often about the camaraderie of the bus garage and spending early mornings drinking coffee and swapping stories before heading out on his route.

In 2023, Glen was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which brought his bus driving days to an end but gave him more time to spend with family. Even as the disease progressed, he never lost his humor. He kept everyone on their toes with his one-liners and perfectly timed jokes.

Glen's favorite hobbies included riding his motorcycle, reading (especially old Westerns), watching YouTube, and tackling house projects. Glen had a great sense of humor and quick wit. He loved to "shoot the shit" with anyone he came across, especially if they had a police or military background. He had a soft spot for animals and was always willing to lend a hand to a friend, neighbor, or stranger.

Glen was always there for his kids and they could count on him whenever they needed him. Our favorite memories of Dad are: spending New Year's Eve at the hotel each year; sledding behind the snowmobile; learning life lessons while he built fences and stalls; laughing on roller coasters and the PowerTower at ValleyFair; sharing pranks and jokes; finding the best mini donuts at the State Fair and Renaissance Festival; road trips to Montana with classic rock on the radio; watching planes at airshows and fly-ins; playing FlightSim for hours; drinking a cold Pepsi, covered in dirt and hay after cleaning the barn; and fall nights with snacks and Monday Night Football.

Glen will be dearly missed by his daughter, Adrienne (Jason) Hard; son Christopher (Marta) Vant; grandchildren Ryan, Megan, and Aidan Hard, and Sienna and Elyse Vant; brothers Gary and Steve Vant; lifelong best friend Terry Peterson; and many extended family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2:00pm on October 11, 2025 at Coon Lake Beach Community Center, 182 Forest Road in Wyoming, MN.

In lieu of flowers - raise a Pepsi, share a laugh, or help a neighbor - just as Glen would have done.