John H. Anglin:
Remembering a Cooperative Leader
Every year Kosciusko REMC awards ten John H. Anglin scholarships of $1,000 each to co-op members and/or their dependents who are pursuing higher education. As we close in on the application deadline of April 1st for the 2024 John H. Anglin Scholarship program, we would like to reflect upon the life and career of John Anglin and remember some of his countless contributions to our cooperative community.
Who was John H. Anglin?
John H. Anglin was born in Warsaw in 1942, attended Atwood High School, then went on to study forestry at Purdue University. He served in the U.S. Army as an airborne ranger and served with the Indiana Army National Guard. Anglin and his wife Lorraine were active members of Clunette United Methodist Church, where he was its administrative chairman, a lay leader and member of the choir.
To say Anglin was involved in the community would be an understatement. He was a leader in a long list of organizations. He participated in various capacities in the Soil and Water Conservation District, the Indiana Pork Producers Association, the Potawatomi Park board, the Plymouth Kilwinning Lodge #149 F. & A.M, the Leesburg Lodge #181 F. & A.M.; the American Legion #49 (Warsaw), Scottish Rite (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Atwood Lions Club, Snow Valley Riders Snowmobile Club, 4-H, and Kosciusko County Farm Bureau.
Anglin became a member of the KREMC board of directors in 1976. In 1983, he was elected chairman of the board. He held that role until his passing in 2012. While the list of organizations in which Anglin participated is impressive, the impressions he left with those who served alongside him are also powerful.
Current KREMC board members Terry Bouse and Dan Tucker recently shared some of their memories of Anglin.
“John had a tremendous compassion for every board member and was considerate of all. That is a great attribute as a leader,“ said Bouse.
Bouse expressed that the impressions Anglin left on the community are visible every day. Bouse also reflected on how Anglin practiced and exhibited the cooperative principles not only in his business, but in our community. Anglin’s family was close to Bouse’s, giving him special insight into the past chairman’s impact and character.
“He always took an interest in you and your family. Our kids were close to John’s in 4-H, and we became good friends,” said Bouse.
“John was just a fun-loving person to be around,” he emphasized.
KREMC board member Dan Tucker also shared his fond memories of John Anglin as a leader and a colleague.
“John was a leader that was calm and wise. I could tell when I got on the board, he had a lot of experience with the REMC and that not a lot would rattle him,” Tucker remembered.
“John explained things well, conducted the board meetings with order and gave plenty of time for constructive conversation,” he continued.
When asked what cooperative principle(s) John Anglin embodied, Tucker said ‘Concern for Community’ stood out among the others.
“He was a strong advocate for the 4-H programs and involved in so many of the community projects. John had so many contacts throughout the community to help others, advise appropriately, and overwhelmingly make a strong positive impact on the community,” explained Tucker.
Tucker shared that Anglin possessed a very welcoming attitude and that with all his experience and wisdom, he was still very easy to talk to and learn from.
“John left a very strong impression on me of what the leadership role of the cooperative should look like. He was just a great all-around mentor and person who left a great impression on anyone he met,” said Tucker.
At Kosciusko REMC, we take our cooperative principles to heart. It takes a dedicated team working together, from out in the field to inside the office, to successfully power a community. We are proud of the strong leadership and teamwork that helps our co-op succeed, and equally proud of the history of leadership that has paved our way. John H. Anglin was a leader whose unwavering commitment to cooperative principles reverberated throughout our co-op and wider community. The impact of Anglin’s character and hard work is still felt today.