Obituaries: January 2023

Jan. 1, 2023

Howard Dale Glupker

Howard Glupker, 81, of Jenison, Mich., died on Oct. 26.

     Mr. Glupker was truly passionate about senior softball, having played from 2002 until 2021.

     “He was an accomplished and active athlete who was still playing slow pitch softball at age 81,” according to his online obituary. “He had a determined love of the game, but more importantly had a heart for the relationship with the athletes, many who said they would run through a wall for Coach Glupker.”

     Sports remained all throughout his life. After serving in the Army, he became a teacher at Bryon Center High School where he was also the athletics director. 

Thomas N. Delmont

Thomas Delmont, 82, of White Bear Lake, Minn., died on Dec. 29 due to heart failure.

     Many Minnesota-based senior softball teams, senior leagues and organizations will remember Mr. Delmont. Born and raised in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, many knew him.

     After service in the Army as a medic in San Antonio, Thomas went back to Minnesota and had several, far-ranging jobs as a barber shop owner, head of an employment agency, even a car sales manager before retiring as the owner of a flooring company. But his true passion was sports.

     “He loved to watch football, baseball and tennis, as well as playing softball and tennis well into his mid- 60s, culminating as a shortstop on a men's softball senior league National Championship team in the early 2000s,” according to his online obituary.

     In SSUSA tournament play, Mr. Delmont was associated with the Minnesota Masters 65s team.

John S. Nutterfield

John Nutterfield, 66, of Pleasanton, Calif., died on Jan. 4.

     He had a long history with SSUSA, playing since 2008 with several Bay Area teams in California. People in the Sacramento SSUSA Headquarters knew him too.

     “John projected a true sense of happiness when I would see him at a tournament,” said SSUSA Executive Director Fran Dowell. “After many years of friendship, I am truly sad to lose a great friend to the sport.

     “As an avid sports fan and fitness enthusiast since childhood, John was dedicated to being an athlete,” according to his online obituary. “Throughout the years, baseball and softball remained his No.1 passion.”

     Despite earning a degree in criminology, he worked at the Chevron Corp. for almost two decades before becoming a Berkeley police officer for almost another two decades.

     John as played with the JU Entertainment 50s, Avenue Towing 50s, Nor Cal Warriors 50s, Old Giants 60s, and East Bay Oldies 60s, all in California.

Ronald Douglas Riedasch

Ron Riedasch, 80, of Seattle, died on Jan. 5.

     Mr. Riedasch played with SSUSA for a little over a decade, from 2009 to 2019. “He remained active and fit playing senior competitive softball in the Associated Softball League Palm Desert (Calif.), Puget Sound Softball League (Wash.), and Senior Softball USA (national leagues) from the time of his retirement until his head injury in 2019,” according to his online obituary.

     Before playing senior softball, Ron served in the Coast Guard and after worked his way up at Boeing in defense, electronics, and operations.

     Before retiring from senior softball, he played with Scrap Iron 65 Classics, Runner Blue 65s, and W.E. Ruth Realty 75.

Oscar (OJ) Johnson

Oscar (OJ) Johnson, 79, of Houston, died on Jan. 9.

     As a long-time senior softball player, Mr. Johnson started with SSUSA in 1999 and last played in July of 2022.

     “OJ last played Day League ball a few years ago and not only was he a very good player, but also a great person,” according to an email release from the Harris County Senior Softball League.

     OJ played on the Senior Aces 55s and 60s, Oops 60s, STILL 70s (where he was also manager), and LOTA 80s.