Robert Glenn Wiggins, 84, passed away Thursday, August 13, 2020, at home with his family after struggling with Parkinson’s disease over the last twenty years. He was born June 5, 1937, in Dallas, Texas, the son of Herman Glenn and Gertrude Elizabeth Wiggins. He graduated from North Dallas High School in 1955. He attended Abilene Christian College, Southern Methodist University and graduated from North Texas State University in 1960. He was a life long member of the Church of Christ.
Glenn began his career with Dun & Bradstreet as a credit analyst and subsequently joined IBM Corporation in 1962 as a computer programmer and systems analyst. He spent 21 years with Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, earning numerous awards for sales volume and account development, and branched out beyond the scope of Mutual Benefit, starting his own firm in 1967. Over 31 years, Glenn grew his agency developing numerous unique overseas benefit programs for multi-national corporations. He also used his business development experience to branch into medical technologies, co-founding medical device engineering and manufacturer Plexon Inc. Plexon has earned high distinctions in the private and academic research arenas providing highly-advanced devices for neurological analysis and research. His technological pursuits also included co-founding an Internet advertising service, Web Media Ventures, Inc., that helped to pioneer the use of rich media online for interpersonal and promotional communications.
Glenn had a life long passion for sailing and spending time on the water. Early in his life he spent much time racing sailboats, participating in local as well as international regattas and the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinaw on multiple occasions. Later in life, Glenn spent summers cruising the east coast with his wife, Deborah and multiple family and friends. Northeast Harbor, Maine was their summer home since the early 2000’s. Glenn was an active mentor to many young business people, making introductions and connections wherever possible. He loved photography and the arts, both music and theatre.
Glenn is survived by wife, Deborah, of Dallas, Texas; children, Jennifer Killion and her husband, of Dallas, Texas, Joanne Wiggins and her husband, Layo Puentes of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Sean Jett and his wife, Erin of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, Tyler Killion, Alex and Emma Jett; cousins, Harvey W. Wiggins and Lonnie L. Wiggins; nephew, Kris Wiggins and nieces, Lindsey Wiggins and Lily Marrs. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman Glenn and Gertrude Elizabeth Wiggins. A memorial service will be held at a future date when family and friends can gather to celebrate Glenn’s life and accomplishments. The family requests that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in memory of R. Glenn Wiggins. (
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. The Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, with more than $800 million in high-impact research funded to date.
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