David Gleason

"South Hadley - David J. Gleason, 68, of South Hadley, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side, on Jan. 29, 2015. He was the husband of Joanne (Bigelow) Gleason, to whom he had been married since 1969. Born in Springfield on April 23, 1946, son of the late David and Bertha (Mazik) Gleason, he lived in Holyoke before moving to South Hadley in 1973. He was a graduate of Chicopee High School and Holyoke Community College. He was a salesman in the trucking industry for many years before retiring in 2012. David was a member of St. Patrick's Church in South Hadley. David was a U.S. Army veteran who served his country during the Vietnam War Era. He was a member of the Pioneer Valley Hockey Official Association, and was an amateur hockey referee for 30 years. David loved spending summers at the beach in Wellfleet, and most recently in Westerly, RI. In addition to his beloved wife, David leaves his children, Laura, of Holyoke, Christopher and his wife Tiffany, of Chicopee, and Bryan, of South Hadley; a sister, Frances Flynn and her husband John, of Belchertown; his cherished grandchildren, Geoffrey and Samantha; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is also survived by his beloved Golden Retriever, Griff. David was predeceased by a sister, Mary Cahillane. Visiting hours will be held from 4-7 PM on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 in the Beers and Story South Hadley Funeral Home, 646 Newton St. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015 at St. Patrick's Church, 30 Main St., South Hadley Falls, please meet directly at the church. Burial to follow at 1:00 PM in the Massachusetts Veteran's Cemetery in Agawam. In lieu of flowers, the family would like memorial donations in David's name to be made to the ASPCA, P.O. Box 92929, Washington, DC 20090-6929."