Obituary of THOMAS PATRICK GLEASON

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THOMAS PATRICK GLEASON January 23, 1936 – January 24, 2022 Thomas Patrick Gleason was born January 23, 1936 in Rice Lake, WI to Marion (Hoaglund) and Joseph Gleason. At age two, the family moved to Jenkins, MN where his parents started Gleason Boat Works. Tom attended grade school in Jenkins and graduated from Pine River High School in l953, but he actually attended 13 different schools in those 12 years. Each winter the family would travel to a warmer climate because of his father’s asthma. During WWII, the family closed up the Boat Works for lack of supplies and moved to Bloomington, MN where his father worked in the defense plant and later at Northern Pump making anti-air craft guns. When Tom was in 5th grade, the family moved back to Jenkins and started building boats again. Tom attended Bemidji State Teachers College and graduated, with a degree in Industrial Arts in 1957. He took a teaching and coaching assignment in Gonvick, MN for the following six years. Tom had begun teaching at Burnsville Senior High School in 1964 and taught there for 28 years. He started the Drafting Program, both Architectural and Engineering and taught other Industrial Arts classes. Tom earned his Masters at Bemidji State University while the family camped at Bemidji State Park. He was selected MN Technology Teacher of the Year. His student project “Habitat 2000” was featured on CNN and WCCO Live from the BHS Football Field and later put on display at the St. Paul Science Museum honoring student/state projects. Tom dearly loved being with family and friends. He also liked to hunt, fish, snowmobile, camp, travel, and woodwork. He made furniture for the house, many cribbage boards and rocking horses for each family. Tom hunted and fished in many states and Canadian Provinces. He shot a deer at their tree farm near Hackensack at the age of 84. Tom loved being at the family cabin on Poquet Lake that he and Winnie rebuilt in 1971. Enjoying many family road trips as they were raising the kids, Tom and Winnie ultimately visited all 50 states. They took a bus trip across Mexico, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific and up to the Copper Canyon. They traveled across Europe by car, and enjoyed river cruises down the Danube from Nuremberg, Germany to Budapest, Hungary, and Seine River from Paris, France to the beaches of Normandy. They traversed The Maritimes and bordering provinces of Canada. They drove and camped their way to Alaska and fished the Kenai River by Soldotna. Tom flew to Alaska with friends on a fishing trip the year he retired. After retirement Tom returned to the patterns of his youth becoming a Texas snowbird from Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day. Tom was an interesting conversationalist. He had knowledge of many subjects including boats, politics, mechanics, construction, climate, farming, horses, history, sports, hunting and fishing. Tom was a great story teller of many adventures that made one wish they had been there. Tom battled some health issues during his lifetime including CMML leukemia for his last 8 years. Just one day after Tom’s 86th birthday, he passed away peacefully at home in Frisco, TX. Tom is survived by: Winifred, his beloved wife of 60 years; Children: Kathleen (Patrick) Walsh, Michael (Nancy) Gleason, and Molly Disney; Grandchildren: Samantha Walsh, Nick (Whitney) Walsh, Jacob Gleason, Rachel (Shaun) Joyce, Zachary (Erica) Gleason, Katelyn Disney, Emily Disney; Great granddaughter: Eloise Gleason; Sister: Mary Lou (Dennis) Peterson, and many nieces and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Marion Gleason and half-sister Charlotte Shaw. Tom will be buried at the cemetery in Jenkins, Minnesota. Memorial services will be held in Texas (soon) and Minnesota (in spring 2022) In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Sharing & Caring Hands, Leukemia Research Foundation, or Texas Oncology Foundation.