Christopher Gleason

Christopher Gleason Clifton Park- G. Christopher Gleason, Esq., of Clifton Park passed away, after completing the Philadelphia Marathon, on November 20th. He was doing what loved, running fast. Chris was born on February 8, 1971 at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama. He grew up and went to school in Clifton Park, NY and graduated from Shenedehowa High School. He received the UNCAS Scholarship in his senior year which recognizes both academics and athletics. He was the school's top ski racer, competing in the Empire State Games three times, and was number two on the tennis team. He had also played football. Chris attended St. Michael's College in Burlington, Vermont and received a BS in Political Science in 1993. He then worked on a Congressional Staff in Washington D.C. and at several other jobs in that area and in Tampa, Florida. After receiving an exceptionally high score on the Law Boards he was hired by the national tutoring company, Kaplan, and taught students to prepare for the SAT exams and for the Law Boards. He then attended Seton Hall Law School and graduated near the top in his class, receiving one of the academic awards at graduation. During Law School he had internships on the House Rules Committee of Congress, and with the legal department of the New York State Police. Due to his academic accomplishments in Law School, Chris received an appointment for a Clerkship with the New York State Appellate Court for one year in Albany. He then joined the Couch White Law Firm of Albany and shortly thereafter joined the Rose Law Firm of Albany at its inception. Chris became a partner and was an expert in litigating disputes. He passed the bar and was licensed in ten different states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Alabama, West Virginia, and others where he represented his clients. He once successfully argued a precedent setting case before the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Chris met his wife, Jennyfer, while working on the House Rules Committee and they were married in Saratoga in 2002. They have two children, Ashley and G. Matthew who attend Tesago Elementary School in Clifton Park. He was very involved with his children and his whole family with skiing, baseball, soccer and all of the other activities that his children love. Chris was inspired by his wife Jenny, his mother Dale, and his sister Cara to begin running seriously 7 years ago. His first race was the Chicago Marathon with Cara and his lifelong friend Mike Curtis. Later he encouraged Cara to become a triathlete and together they completed the Ironman in Lake Placid three years ago. Chris and his wife Jenny enjoyed running and biking together, often with their children, all over Clifton Park and the Adirondacks. Chris had run many marathons and half Ironman races as well as numerous shorter triathlons, bicycle road races, and cyclo-cross races and was quite competitive at all of them. Last July he did his third Ironman race and finished in just 10 hours, 62nd out of over 2,900 competitors. He was an inspiration to other triathletes and helped with the training of many of them. His children have also participated in several kids running and triathlon races with his guidance and is wife is a marathoner. Chris was an expert skier, and quite accomplished on the snow board as well. He cherished weekends on Gore Mountain with his children and loved to go to the powder of the Rockies with his mother, father, friends, and family. He will be remembered both for his ability to patiently ski backwards teaching his children or leaping off a cliff to fly through the Baldy Shoots at the top of Alta, Utah. Chris was excellent at everything----as a father, a husband, a son, an attorney, and an athlete. He loved life, his family, and his friends and he was loved in return. Chris is survived by his wife, Jennyfer Lynn Gleason, his children Ashley Josephine and G. Matthew, his mother and father, Dale Gleason and Dr. G. Kirk Gleason, his sister Cara Gleason Krebs and her husband Jeff Krebs and their son Oden, and his grandmother Josephine Genzano. A Mass of Christian Burial to which relatives and friends are invited to attend will be held 9:00 a.m. Saturday November 26, 2011 at St. Edward the Confessor Church 569 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park. Calling hours will be held on Friday from 4-8 pm at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home 1550 Route 9 Clifton Park. Donations in Chris' name can be made to a scholarship fund for his children to: The G. Christopher Gleason Education Fund, c/o Gordon C. Emerick. Arrangements have been entrusted by the family to the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home 1550 Route 9 Clifton Park, New York 12065. 518-371-5454