William ""Bill"" Gleason

William (Bill) Louis Gleason of Denver, CO passed away on Oct. 27, 2018 at Highpointe Assisted Living in Denver, CO after a long and valiant fight against Alzheimers disease. He was born on Nov. 4, 1932 in Colorado Springs, CO to Mary and Cornelius Gleason of Fountain, CO.

Cornelius and Mary both immigrated to the United States from their native Ireland in the early 1900s eventually settling in Fountain, CO where Cornelius worked for the railroad. The family lived a simple farm-life until the start of World War II when three of the families elder sons, Cornelius, James and Edward, where called to duty in the United States Army. Each served the United States with honor.

Bill, the youngest of eight children, was a skilled basketball player in high school and like his brothers before him he was called to serve during the Korean Conflict. He was stationed in Berlin, Germany and learned to operate heavy machinery in the United States Army.

He brought those skills home, eventually landing a job with the City and County and Denver and his wife of more than 41 years, Helen Cullinane. The couple moved to southeast Denver in 1965 where they raised their sons Neal and Billy. Bill and Helen sacrificed and worked hard to send the boys to Most Precious Blood elementary and J.K. Mullen High School and eventually to the University of Colorado and the University of Northern Colorado.

Bill worked for the City for more than 30 years and often made ends meet by working multiple overtime shifts plowing the snow from the streets of Denver.

An avid sports fan, Bill enjoyed supporting the Denver Broncos, the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rockies and most of all, the University of Notre Dame football team, even when the Irish played against the University of Colorado while his eldest son was a student at the later.

His dedication to sons' success often called for early wake up calls for impromptu baseball practice at Eisenhower Park or to simply teach his teenage boys lessons of the importance of getting up long before the sun, ""because the day is half gone by the time the sun comes up.""

He enjoyed making others laugh and while he had a tough exterior he was also a tender and loving grandfather to his four granddaughters, Meghan, Erin, Annie and Riley.

He was a dog lover, especially fond of Clancy, with whom he shared long walks and cheeseburgers. He carried the lessons of his youth with him through life and never wasted food or electricity in his house. He was a dedicated Catholic and very close to his sister Sarah who left Colorado to join the Sisters of Mercy teaching in Rock Springs, WY and Butte, MT.

He is preceded in death by his mother and father, brothers Cornelius, John, Edward, Michael; sisters Mary and Sarah and his wife of 41 years, Helen who passed in 2004.

Late in life he moved to Highpointe Assisted Living and Memory Care where his final years where pleasant and comfortable under the excellent care of the staff and was lovingly called Grandpa. Encompass Hospice was also very compassionate in his final months and the family is grateful to all who took care of him.

Bill is survived by his sons, Neal and Billy, their wives, Lucy and Jaymie, respectively, and four granddaughters, Meghan, Erin, Annie and Riley. Nephews Thomas Gleason, James Gleason and nieces Mary Pat Gleason, Maureen Layman and Susan Lee and sister in-law Theresa Gleason.

A visitation will be held, Thursday, Nov. 1 from 5-7 p.m. at Horan & McConaty 1091 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80246. There will be a reading of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, Nov. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Risen Christ Catholic Parish, 3060 S. Monaco Parkway, Denver, CO 80222.

Bill will be laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery 12801 W. 44^th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Donations be made in Bill's honor to Alzheimer's Foundation of America 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, or the Denver Dumb Friends League.

Visitation: November 1, 2018 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Denver
1091 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246

Rosary: November 1, 2018 7:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Denver
1091 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246

Funeral Mass: November 2, 2018 10:30 am

Risen Christ Catholic Parish
3060 South Monaco Parkway
Denver, CO 80222
303-758-8826