Glen Huey (1959-2025): One of the Greats

Glen Huey, a great furniture maker, teacher and (I hope) friend, died unexpectedly on June 27 after posting a short notice about an upcoming medical procedure on Facebook. You can read his full obituary here.

I first met Glen in the late 1990s as he and his father, Malcolm, launched their custom furniture business and were showing their pieces in shows across the country.

I was working at Popular Woodworking Magazine at the time, and we were looking for new authors who could help us build a world-class woodworking magazine. One of the other editors, David Thiel, met Glen at a furniture show and was impressed by his furniture, his friendliness and his willingness to teach others.

It was a great match.

In the following years, we published dozens of articles in the magazine by Glen (and sometimes Malcolm). Glen was both ambitious and a quick study. He went from being a contributor that we assisted with ghostwriting to a completely independent and entertaining writer. (This is no small feat.)

Eventually, we asked if he wanted to join the staff of the magazine, and he agreed. Glen brought his skills and ambitions to the staff of the magazine. It’s completely fair to say that he was one of the key reasons the magazine rose in quality and stature. He had outstanding taste in furniture design. He was a fast builder. And what he built always elicited oohs and aahs from people.

I’d be dishonest if I also didn’t say that this success wasn’t easy. Glen and I frequently clashed on the editorial direction of the magazine. He thought I was too focused on hand tools. I thought that writing about handwork made us special.

This friction is (I think) essential to a good magazine. You have to have lots of strong points of view among your editors. Otherwise your rag is going to read like Melba toast.

I thought that Glen and I had a good and respectful relationship (he was the first person I invited to my 40^th birthday party). But I might be wrong.

One morning, Glen asked if we could talk in one of the magazine’s conference rooms. He told me he was quitting, and he was visibly angry. It was obvious that he was angry with me and my editorial philosophy.

I immediately offered to make him a contributing editor and to continue to publish his work. He seemed a bit disarmed by this. I think he was expecting a fight. But I knew the magazine needed him.

After I left Popular Woodworking in 2011, Glen rejoined the staff of the magazine. Everything devolved into chaos there soon after because of corporate stupidity. Glen and two other employees left to start their own online magazine. And we lost touch after that.

Despite my checkered past with Glen, I have nothing but respect for him and his work. He was generous with his time and knowledge. There were so many times that I had to prepare wood on a Friday for a Saturday class. And Glen volunteered to stay late to help, though it was of no benefit to him.

He was willing to teach anything to anyone. And though he had a quick temper (Rule No. 1: Never cut off Glen in traffic), he also was just as quick to forgive and laugh about it.

When it came to furniture making, Glen taught me more than I can ever repay. Glen used to say: “If you can’t do it on the table saw, it isn’t worth doing.”

He was joking. But the guy knew the table saw better than anyone else I’ve ever met. And by watching Glen and working with him, I have a confidence and capability on the table saw that makes my day-to-day life easier in the shop.

But Glen’s biggest asset as a furniture maker was his eye. He knew how to build pieces that would appeal to a wide swath of woodworkers. His taste was for vernacular pieces that were just a notch above. Many times he could take a simple design and use wood selection (the guy adored curly maple) to make it something unforgettable.

He also wrote some great books before leaving the craft. And if you like traditional American furniture, I think you should own these as well.

“Glen Huey’s Illustrated Guide to Building Period Furniture”

“Fine Furniture for a Lifetime”

“Furniture in the Southern Style”

After Glen left the furniture trade, he opened a donut business north of Cincinnati called “The Donut Dude.” I always meant to drive up and check it out (Megan did). It’s a huge regret for me. If you have any unfinished business like this in your life, don’t put it off.

— Christopher Schwarz

I have a few things to add to Chris’s comments above – but I must first reiterate that Glen was a massive asset to Popular Woodworking, during both of his staff tenures and as a contributor. He was also incredibly important to my development as a woodworker, and as generous with his time and teaching as could possibly be.

I’m glad I didn’t go down the hand-tool rabbit hole right away; I’d have missed out learning from Glen how to make large pieces of cove moulding on the table saw, cabriole legs on the band saw and line-and-berry inlay. He gave up several nights and weekends when I (entirely out of my depth) asked his help in making a spice chest for my mother’s Christmas gift, and we laughed together the whole time.

He was quite the charmer, too. My aunt and grandparents adored him; they met a few times when Glen helped move some things from their houses to mine – he was always willing to lend a hand.

I was overjoyed when he came back to Popular Woodworking during my tenure as editor. It was such fun to have him back around – until we eventually also butted heads about the magazine’s direction. We didn’t then part under the best terms, I think it’s fair to say. Despite the tussles, though, I missed him.

Last year, I happened to be driving by his donut shop and decided to visit, having no idea how I’d be received. I should have known Glen had long ago let bygones be gone. I got a big smile and a hug. Of course.

– Megan Fitzpatrick