William Bernard Gleeson Jr.

Gleeson, William Bernard, Jr. Born June 5, 1916 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to William B. Gleeson, Sr. and Hannah Mathilda (née Salvesen). He departed his journey through life on July 26, 2008, at Knute Nelson Nursing Home, Alexandria, MN. On December 29, 1938, he was united in marriage to his beloved wife and friend Helena (Bunny) V. Jacobs at Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. Upon graduating from Central High School, Sioux City, Iowa, Bill began a career in retailing that spanned many decades in various management positions at Dayton's in Minneapolis and Sioux Falls; Perkins-Timberlake in Wichita Falls, TX; Powers in St. Paul; and J.B. Hudson Jewelers in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Philadelphia. A believer in civic responsibilities, Bill was active in communities to which his corporate moves took him. He served on the Board of Directors of both the YMCA Camp Warren and Girl Scouts of America in Minneapolis, and was a member of Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. In Sioux Falls, Bill was President of both the Credit Bureau and the United Fund, served on the Board of Directors of both the Civic Music Association and the Industrial Development Association, and was a member of Asbury Methodist Church. In Wichita Falls, he served on the Board of Directors of the Symphony Orchestra, Civic Music Association, and was Vice-President of the Broadway Theater League. Once back working in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, Bill was President of the following: St. Paul Civic Association, St. Louis Park Chamber of Commerce, and the Ridgedale Mall Merchant Association. Among all his civic activities, Bill was most devoted to the principles and projects of Rotary International. He was a member of Rotary Clubs in Sioux Falls, Wichita Falls, Omaha, Detroit, Golden Valley, and St. Louis Park where he was President. He served as District Governor for District 595 in Minnesota. His leadership in Rotary earned him a citation for Meritorious Service and a Paul Harris Fellow Award, as well as a Distinguished Service Award. The latter is presented annually to only fifty among Rotary's 1,200,000 worldwide members. Constantly on the go after he retired, Bill became a director for the National Retiree Volunteer Coalition. There he was cited for outstanding accomplishments organizing corporate retirees around the nation to volunteer to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. He was also a Dayton-Hudson loaned retired executive in Minneapolis. A self-educated man through life-long reading, Bill began taking courses at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, MN, at age 74. He studied English and American literature, American history, and art history. He also cherished listening to classical music and visiting art museums. In July 2003, Bill and Helena moved from Bloomington to Alexandria, Minnesota, to be near their daughter Kathleen and their son-in-law Phil Midtvedt. To cherish his memory he leaves sons Larry of Buena Vista, CO; David (Sharon) of Dallas, TX; daughter Kathleen (Phillip) of Alexandria; grandchildren Laurie (Martin) Garvie of Richardson, TX; Pamela (Todd) Lezer of Sauk Centre; Kathleen Hawkins of Austin, TX; Brent (Valerie) Gleeson of San Diego, CA; Scott (Crystal) Gleeson of Dallas; step-children Tom (Susan) Midtvedt of Milwaukee; Mary (Mike) Berger of Waconia, MN; nine great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Helen Jane Gleeson of Sioux City; Dorothy Jacobs of Sun City, AZ; brother-in-law Don Jacobs of Decatur, GA; many nieces, nephews, and friends. Bill was preceded in death by his mother and father; mother-in-law and father-in-law; his beloved wife and friend of sixty nine years, Helena; brothers Jack of Mesa, AZ and Bob of Sioux City; brother-in-law Ray Jacobs of Sun City, AZ; and sister-in-law Virginia Jacobs of Decatur, GA. A memorial service will be held in the Border Chapel of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis (511 Groveland and Lyndale; telephone: 612 / 871-5303) at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2008. Reception will follow at the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove Street. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests remembrances to the charity of your choice or to Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church; Knute Nelson Nursing Home, 420 12th Avenue East, Alexandria MN 56308; or Rotary International mailed to Rotary Club of St. Louis Park, P.O. Box 26728, St. Louis Park MN 55426. Funeral arrangements are with Bradshaw Funeral and Cremation Services in St. Paul. Phone 651-698-3878.
This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.