Julius Casmir Glab, known to many as “Sonney,” of Livonia, Michigan, passed away on March 17, 2026, at the age of 95.

Sonney was born on April 27, 1930, in Detroit, Michigan, to Julius and Caroline (Zajac) Glab. He was the only son and the youngest of their children.

He graduated from Chadsey High School in Detroit, where he served as captain of the track team—an early reflection of the discipline and determination that would mark his life. During that time, he developed a love of cooking and briefly considered attending culinary school, but chose instead to enlist in the United States Air Force.

He was stationed in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he served as an Airman First Class and bomb sight technician during the Korean War era. In that role, he was responsible for the maintenance and calibration of precision targeting equipment on aircraft within a fighter-bomber squadron—work that demanded exacting skill, discipline, and attention to detail, and carried direct importance for mission accuracy and crew safety.

During his early training, he logged substantial flight time and earned his aircrew wings, qualifying him to serve as part of a flight crew. He had been on a path toward becoming a pilot, but it was discovered that his eyesight changed at altitude, closing that path for him.

He carried that same steadiness and precision forward into the life he built afterward. He also carried with him a lifelong love of cooking, which remained one of the ways he cared for those around him throughout his life. He was particularly fond of making soups and stews, and had a way of making vichyssoise that was truly something to live for—though he would have simply called it potato soup.

After his honorable discharge, Sonney met his future wife, Theresa “Teri” Bryja, through his friend Richard.

Sonney and Teri were married on May 22, 1954, at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Detroit, Michigan. They shared 71 wonderful years. Together they were the parents of 10 children: Darlene, Brian, MaryJo, Bradley, Sharon, Jacqueline, Anne Marie, Gerard, Jonathan and Julianne.

He went on to serve as a dedicated firefighter for the City of Detroit for 36 years, a role he carried with pride and courage. His service spanned some of the most challenging periods in the city’s history, including the unrest of 1967, where he continued to show up, do the work, and serve others without hesitation. He brought the same discipline, reliability, and quiet strength to his work—and to the family who knew him as steady and present in the same way.

He was a man who showed his love through presence, work, and care—steady, dependable, and always there for the people who mattered to him.

Sonney is survived by his beloved wife, Teri; his children, Darlene Wells (David), Bradley Glab (Karen), Jacqueline Olesen (Daryl), Anne Marie Glab, Gerard Glab (Barbara), Jonathan Glab (Tracee), and Julianne Self (Toby); as well as 24 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Caroline Glab; his sisters, Virginia Hadala (Walter), Olivia Christy (Wally), and Janet Sobutek (Henry); and his children, Brian, MaryJo and Sharon.

Visitation for Sonney will be held on Tuesday, March 24th from 4:00 - 8:00 PM with a Rosary Service at 6:30 at Manns Family Funeral Home, 17000 Middlebelt, Livonia, 48154.

Sonney will be In-State for final view at 10:30 AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM at St. Genevieve - St. Maurice Catholic Church, 29015 Jamison, Livonia 48154.