Glenna Sue (Novinger) Wilkinson-Reihl, 71, of Algonquin, Illinois, passed away Saturday (October 17, 2020) at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Illinois.

The daughter of Robert R. and Annabelle May (Lawrence) Novinger, she was born September 1, 1949 at Grim Smith Hospital in Kirksville, MO. On February 15, 1975 Glenna was married to Gordon M. Wilkinson, who preceded her in death on September 10, 1989. She later married Ron Reihl on May 30, 2003. She was also preceded in death by her parents, sister Priscilla A. (Gary) Nuhn, and stepson Jeffrey Wilkinson.

Glenna is survived by her husband Ronald Reihl, two sons, Ted Wilkinson of West Hollywood, CA and Bob (Vanessa) Wilkinson of Algonquin IL, two stepdaughters and a stepson, Rachel Wilkinson of Oxford, MS, Elizabeth Reihl of Aurora, IL, and Michael (Tiffany) Reihl of Lakemoor, IL, and one brother, Richard K. (Karen) Novinger of Novinger, MO.

Glenna grew up on her family farm outside Novinger, MO, a town founded by her ancestors. She was popular from the start, becoming the runner up in the Miss Kirksville pageant in 1973. She studied at NMSU obtaining both a Bachelor’s and Masters’ degree in Speech Language Therapy. While student teaching in Mexico, MO, she met Gordon Wilkinson and they married. She followed him in his work to Birmingham, AL, Cleveland, OH where her two sons were born, Chicago, IL and Ridgefield, CT, making lifelong friends and teaching along the way.

After Gordon’s passing, Glenna and the boys moved back to the Chicago area where she found her long term professional home at Kirk School working with disabled children and giving them the tools to communicate with the world. It was also in this return to the Chicago area that she met her husband Ron Reihl, and they each received a treasured new companion to share their later years. In her final move to the cul-de-sac of Colonial Court, they found a happy retirement together.

Glenna loved nothing more than spending time with those she held dear, her family and friends. She showed her love for them through her cooking (keeping treasured family recipes alive) and travel to be with them as often as possible (and holding long phone visits when it wasn’t). She also loved to read, to decorate her home, beautify it inside and out with flowers, and care for all her avian visitors. She was an amazing mother, through challenging times as a single parent, bearing sacrifices to be sure they would thrive. Endlessly supportive of her children in their variety of interests and passions, always a cheerleader and inspiration.

Glenna’s life was full of experiences, laughter, and love. Nobody’s heart was bigger and so well used, every moment.

Wake and Visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:00am until noon on Monday, October 26, 2020 at Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, with Interment to follow at Park View Memorial Gardens in Kirksville.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Glenna may be made to ASHFoundation (The charitable foundation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) and may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.