Obituary of Gary Mahoney Gleason

Gary Mahoney Gleason Long-time attorney of Wellsboro PA and Pittsford NY succumbed to lymphoma July 31, 2008 at University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester NY. He was born February 22, 1940 in Elmira NY to Gertrude and Bruce Gleason. While a patient at National Institutes of Health and in Rochester, Gary lived his cancer experience as he did his lifewith vigor, joie de vivre, and integrity. His life-long commitment to spiritual and personal growth was pervasive, recognizable to family, friends, clients, nursing staff, physicians, and spiritual mentors. Gleason joined Attorney Warren Spencer in the practice of law in 1966, became a partner in the firm in 1967, and practiced until 2006. Garys education included Westfield PA High School where he was Valedictorian of his class, Colgate University where he earned a Bachelors degree in Economics, University of Pennsylvania, and the College of William and Mary where he was on the Deans List and earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1966. Upon completion of his degree, Gary was sworn into the Tioga County Bar as well as Supreme and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania and was a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, American Bar Association, and Phi Alpha Delta honorary law fraternity. Gleasons community involvement in Wellsboro included service on Borough Council, the Town Pool Project, the Save-the-Gaslights Project, Jaycees, St. Pauls Episcopal Vestry, St. Pauls Trustees, St. Pauls Choir, Library Trustees, Relay For Life Steering Committee, and Endless Mountain Music Festival Board. He acted as Relay for Life Survivors Ceremony Co-Chair, St. Pauls Clergy Search Committee Co-Chair, and as founding member/attorney for Endless Mountain Music Festival. The 2008 festival was dedicated to Gary in honor of his commitment to bringing music to the Wellsboro region. Past memberships also include Pittsford Carriage Society, American Driving Society, Tyoga Country Club, the Hamilton Club, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Lymphoma and Leukemia Society, and I Can Cope Cancer Support Group. Garys interests were in photography, carriage driving, digital/graphic design, gardening, woodworking, and a life-long pursuit of musical endeavors. He received numerous awards and ribbons for carriage driving in the MidAtlantic, becoming pony pair driving champion at Walnut Hills Driving Show, the worlds largest driving event. Passionate about cancer empowerment, he was proud to be Honorary Chair of the 2007 Relay For Life. Additionally, his penchant for supportive service to his clients was of the utmost importance to him; beyond that lives his immeasurable connection to and love of family. Survivors include: wife Sonya, whom he married on August 22, 1964; son David of New York NY and fiance Lyla Naseem, also of New York; daughter and son-in-law Drs. Sarah and Jeremy Taylor of Pittsford NY; daughter Kristina of Burlington VT; grandchildren Kate and Leo Taylor; father Bruce Gleason of Wellsboro. His mother predeceased him in 2005. The public is invited to a musical and spiritual celebration commemorating Garys life on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at noon in St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Wellsboro with the Rev. Gregory Hinton and the Rev. Matt Johnson of Vienna, VA officiating. The family has requested that memorials in Garys honor be directed either to Wellsboro Relay For Life (5 East Avenue, Wellsboro) to further cancer research or to EMMF-Gary Gleason Family Endowment Fund (CN Bank, 92-96 Main St. Wellsboro c/o Mary Wood) to ensure the future of the Endless Mountain Music Festival. The Jacquelyn A. Buckheit Funeral Chapel, Crematory & Monuments, PC, 637 S. Main St., Mansfield, PA is assisting the family. www.buckheitfcandcrematory.com