Thomas “Tom”‘s Obituary Thomas James Gleason, 91, died peacefully at home Thursday, May 9, 2019, surrounded by friends and family. Mr. Gleason was born Jan. 23, 1928, in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Harry J. and Olga Gleason; he was the fifth of six children.
A rosary service will be at 6 p.m. Monday, May 20, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 300 W. Mountain Ave. , and a funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 21. A reception will follow at Colorado State University’s Stadium’s Club Level.
Vessey Funeral Service is handling arrangements. Mr. Gleason graduated from Trinity High School in Sioux City in 1946. He earned a Doctor of Humane Letters from Colorado State University in 2005.
He served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Mr. Gleason married Virginia (Ginnie) Gleason on Aug. 8, 1953, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Sioux City; she survives him.
After a honeymoon to Colorado, the two made their home in Kansas where Mr. Gleason worked for General Credit Union; he moved to Fort Collins with that business in the mid-1950s. The couple had two children, Toni Gleason Brant, and Tim Gleason, who both survive. In 1956, when he was 28, he went to work at the First National Bank in Fort Collins, which was one of two banks in Fort Collins at the time.
He worked in the consumer loan department. It began his four decades career with First National. Mr. Gleason climbed the ladder at the bank; he eventually became the president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors.
In 1994, Mr. Gleason stepped down as president, and Mark Driscoll took over while Mr. Gleason remained CEO until 1998. He was always involved in the Fort Collins community. He was on many boards, including Poudre Valley Hospital, CSU, Fort Collins Museum of Art and many more.
He invested much of his energy to building Fort Collins to what it is today. Mr. Gleason enjoyed climbing fourteeners, running, travel, skiing and biking. At the age of 60, he ran the New York Marathon.
Mr. Gleason was a man of deep faith and spent many years as a parishioner and supporter of St. Joseph’s. Survivors include his wife, Ginnie; his two children Toni (Pat) Brant and Tim (Lori) Gleason; two granddaughters, Kami Mathisen and her husband, Ryan, plus their three children, Max, Rhyan and Chuck, and Samantha Johnson and her husband Dan, and their daughter, Olivia. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.
He is the last survivor of his siblings. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County and/or Northern Catholic Charities of Fort Collins in care of Vessey Funeral Service, 2649 E. Mulberry St., A-1, Fort Collins, CO 80524. Please visit www.
VesseyFuneralService.com to leave the family a condolence.
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