James Bernard Gleason

James Bernard Gleason of St. Petersburg passed away on February 23, 2017, at the Bay Pines VA Hospital, Hospice Unit.

He was born August 16, 1939, in Richmond Hill Queens to Mary Ginnity and William Gleason. He grew up in South Ozone Park, Queens where much of his childhood was spent in neighborhood mischief alongside his pal Gus Haberstock, and brother Robert. The trio was often to blame, with James as the ringleader, for false alarm fire alarms being pulled at school and neighborhood pranks such as stomping out flaming piles of excrement wrapped in newspaper left on porches. James survived getting whacked across the knuckles with a ruler by the nuns and brothers and graduated from Bishop Loughlin School in 1957. He served with the U.S Army in Korea during the war in Vietnam where he became a Master Sergeant and received a sharpshooter medal for marksmanship. He was proud of his service, but never spoke about it.

Affectionately known as “Jim” by his family and friends, he is survived by sister Mary Goodman of Schenectady, NY; his brother, Robert Gleason & wife Kathleen of Port St. Lucie, FL; his sister-in-law Arlene Gleason of Palm City, FL; his children: daughter, Laura Browne and her fiance Sal Ghobrial of NJ; son, James J. Gleason of Ruskin, FL; ex-wife, Mary Gleason of Orlando, FL; and his pride in joy granddaughter, Jaden Willow Browne, who referred to him simply as her “Pop”. He was preceded in death by his parents and eldest brother, William Gleason, also of Palm City, FL. He also leaves behind beloved nephews and nieces, and grand-nephews and grand-nieces.

Jim worked at Long Island Savings Bank on eastern Long Island where he served as branch manager in their Westhampton Beach branch. Passionate about his faith; he taught CCD and was a long-time active member of the Knights of Columbus. Jim had many loves. His first love was music. He liked hymns, Irish music and Sinatra. He was the organist, and led the choir at his church at Mary Immaculate in Bellport Village, where he resided with his family until retiring and moving to Sun City, Florida. He and ex-wife Mary often sang and played at local Catholic church weddings all over the south shore of Long Island.

Jim loved diners, a good burger, beer, donuts, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and French Fries. He was Irish, which meant he never met a potato he didn’t like. He was smart too. He never met a crossword puzzle he couldn’t finish. Proud of his Irish heritage, he often attended Knights of Columbus functions and danced proudly to “When Clancy Lowered the Boom”.

An avid baseball fan, he grew up a “Brooklyn Bums” fan, later becoming a NY Mets fan and after the move to Florida, he became a fan of the Devil Rays, where he attended games with his fellow buddies from Always At Home ALF and it’s owners, the Doyles.

Jim always had a great sense of humor, making jokes and recounting tales of childhood pranks. This was still evident through his dialysis treatment during the last six months of his life where he would joke with the nurses and staff at the center. “Always smiling” the staff would say and showing his “kind heart”. His great sense of humor is remembered by his children. He told his daughter at an early age that she had a face “only a mother could love” and often he told her and her brother to “go play in traffic”. He made weeknight dinners and checked homework and made sure to attend all his kid’s games, concerts, recitals, inductions in honor society, young liberals club, etc and always found time to pull them aside for a game of “come pull my finger”. A tradition that he would delight in passing down to he beloved granddaughter, Jaden. She would become the apple of her Pop’s eye. We are quite certain that Pop took Jaden to be baptized in the Catholic Church one time when left babysitting. We were more impressed by her ability not to poop all over him after he removed her diaper and forgot to put it back on.

In his later years after he took ill, he slowed down a bit, but always there was the prankster who “gave them hell” at Patrick Manor, the Assisted Living Facility that he resided in St. Petersburg. He became quite a popular resident, although not all of it was “good” attention. If the nursing home has superlatives, he would have been known as the “class clown”, or “world-class trouble maker”. The staff took a real liking to him though, because after all, he knew how to laugh & he certainly gave them laughs. In the beginning, Jim was the “youngster”, pushing all the ladies around in their wheelchairs. He was the St. Petersburg citizen of the month back in 2012 and often took turns singing at the Senior Center. He enjoyed going to the St. Pete fishing Pier and fishing, watching the seagulls, and enjoying the great outdoors.

We want to let Jim know that he did a great job during his stay here and we wish him a safe journey. We will remember his smile, his jokes, sense of humor, and his love of family and friends and music. May the choir of angels sing alongside the hymns you play.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Fisher House Foundation, 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd., Bay Pines, FL 33744 to the attention of Shentrela Diggins.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, March 6, 2017 at 12:30 pm at the Sarasota National Cemetery located at 9810 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241 with Fr. Robert Swick to officiate.