Mr. Donald J. Gleason

Donald J. Gleason died on July 3, 2011 at home with his family, after a brief illness. Born in Pittsfield, MA on October 22, 1933, he was the son of the late Donald J. and Elizabeth R. (King) Gleason. A 1952 graduate of St. Joseph High School and a 1953 graduate of Cranwell Preparatory school, he went on to attend Providence College. A three sport stand-out athlete at St. Joseph High School and Cranwell, he also played basketball for Providence College. He served in the Army from 1956-1958, a member of the armored-tank division in Fort Lewis, WA. After his discharge from the Army he returned to Pittsfield where he married Patricia J. Tremblay on June 25, 1960. After a variety of jobs he settled in the Pittsfield School department and retired in January of 1999. He dedicated his life to youth sports in Pittsfield. He began his service to Little League Baseball in 1968, where he served as President of the North Little League. He was subsequently named President of the Pittsfield Little League and then named District 1 Administrator of the Massachusetts State Little League from 1985-2011. He began volunteering at the Catholic Youth Center in 1958 as a basketball coach and continued coaching and running the Bantam and Instructional Leagues until 1999 when he was appointed Athletic Director, a position he held until March of 2010. In addition to Patricia, his wife of 51 years, he is survived by 5 children, James, Melinda, Nancy (Heather Gleason), Kate (Michael Winston) and Donna, all of Pittsfield. He was the proud grandfather of Casey, Kendall and Andrew Winston, and Haylee, Brooklyn, Rileigh, Jordyn and Jack Gleason and Jessica Winston and her son Mason. He also leaves his sister Jane Gleason Cyr and her husband Deacon Ralph Cyr of Pittsfield, as well as his aunts Eleanor Gleason Carey of Pittsfield and Alva Gleason of Hingham MA, along with several nieces and nephews and many cousins. His work in youth sports positively impacted the lives of thousands of boys and girls in Pittsfield and beyond. Over the years he was the recipient of countless civil and diocesan awards for his service, including being named to the diocese of Springfield’s Circle of Stewards in in 2006. Funeral services for Donald J. Gleason will be Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 10 am from the Dwyer Funeral Home, 776 North St., Pittsfield, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11 am at St. Charles Church celebrated by Rev. A. Peter Gregory, pastor. Burial will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday, July 6, 2011 from 4 – 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Donald J. Gleason Scholarship Fund which was established in 2008 to provide assistance to graduating seniors from Berkshire County who have served the youth of our community, care of the Dwyer Funeral home, in his memory.

Mr. Donald J. Gleason

October 22, 1933 - July 3, 2011