Glenn H. Smallwood

Name: Colonel Glenn H. Smallwood (USAF Retired)

Date of Birth: August 14, 1948

Place of Birth: Washington, DC

Age: 77

Residence: Arlington, VA

Date of Death: April 22, 2026

Place of Death: Arlington, VA

It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of Colonel Glenn (Tiro) H. Smallwood, USAF (Ret) of Arlington, VA, on April 22, 2026, after a long battle with cancer, he was at home surrounded by his family.

Born on August 14, 1948, to Osborn and Hazel (DeMouy) Smallwood in Washington D.C. Glenn was the third child of four.  Glenn’s father was a consul in the State Department, US Information Agency, stationed in West Germany, giving Glenn the opportunity to explore the world at a young age, which led to his career choices.  After graduating from the Munich American High School, West Germany, in 1966, he attended Howard University and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in 1970.  After graduating, Glenn was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.  And in 1985 he earned a master’s degree.

Glenn’s first assignment as a Second Lieutenant was as an Administrative Executive Officer at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, TX.  He would go on to be promoted to Captain and serve as an Operation Officer at Scott, AFB, St Clair County, IL.  Over the next 25 years Glenn served as Senior Officer at KimpoAir Base, Korea; Rhein Main Air Base, Germany; Incirlik Air Base, Turkey; Kincheloe, AFB Kinross Charter Township, MI.  He served as Chief, Administrative Officer, Pentagon, VA; Deputy Commander Shemya, AFB Shemya AK; Commander 1776 Mission Support Squadron, Andrews AFB, Clinton, MD, and as the Chief Information Officer and Director of Architecture and Engineering, Pentagon, VA. In 1999 Glenn completed 29 years of military service as the Deputy Chief, Information Officer at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), VA.

After completing his military service, Glenn continued to support the military by working as a Program Manager with the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Contracting Small Business Division.  After working with SAIC for seven years, Glenn decided it was time for a change and in 2008, he suggested to his wife Cherry that they should join the Peace Corps.

Their first assignment as Peace Corps volunteers was to the African country of Botswana, which they served together from 2009-2012. During this assignment, it was the tradition of a host family to bestow an African name to each volunteer. Glenn’s given name was “Tiro,” which he continued to use after his return to the US.  While Cherry went back to work, Glenn continued to volunteer with the Peace Corps.  In 2013, he became a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Suriname; in 2015-16, he returned to Botswana to work in the  President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Office in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana see Link for the full story. Finally, in 2017, Glenn served in Zambia working on projects aimed at improving public health and well-being within Zambian communities, as well as the Linking Income, Food, and the Environment (LIFE) project, which focused on sustainable development and environmental conservation.  After completing his volunteer service with the Peace Corps, Glenn joined Cherry in Brussels until she retired in 2018 and they returned to the US.

As he settled into retirement, Glenn was happy reading a book or feeding birds on his terrace, watching classic movies and keeping fit. Glenn loved sports cars and motorcycles and never turned down a chance to try out a new gadget or innovation. He delighted in travel, collected polished rocks from around the world, went scuba diving and spent hours gazing at stars in the night sky. Always curious about everyone he met, Glenn often traveled cross-country by car or on his motorcycle to be present for family and friends at both happy and sad times. Glenn could be quiet and unassuming; he didn’t make it about himself and was loved and admired for his gentle humor, wisdom and calm strength.

On June 2, 1990, Glenn and Cherry were married at Andrews AFB, MD.  For more than 35 years, Glenn and Cherry have worked, volunteered, and traveled the globe together.  Glenn posted on his Facebook page commenting that, “easily, the best decision I ever made was to marry Cherry Washington.”

Glenn will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 35 years, Cherry Washington, his stepdaughter Andreana Washington, of Atlanta, Georgia; his brothers, Tucker, of Tarzana, California, and Carl (Connie), of Columbus Ohio; his niece Jocelyn (Matthew Guthrie) Smallwood, of Gahanna, Ohio; his nephew Nathaniel (Emily) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; as well as other nieces, nephews, relatives, colleagues, and friends living around the globe. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Osborn T. and Hazel (DeMouy) Smallwood and by his sister, Angela (Smallwood) Cockfield.

A private service will be held by Glenn’s family. In lieu of flowers and cards, donations in his memory may be made to Howard University “Impact Howard Scholarship” fund and/or American Cancer Society. The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff of Walter Reeds Medical Team, Goodwin House Hospice and Money & King Funeral Home and Cremation Services for their outstanding care and service.

The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or online at Donation Link or to the Howard University Scholarship Fund by mail at Howard University, P.O. Box 22960, New York, NY 10087-2960 or online at Donation Link