Thomas R. Gleason, 58, died peacefully of multiple myeloma cancer with his loving family by his side on August 1, 2014 at Kaplan Hospice House in Danvers. He was the husband of the late Sally (Haseltine) Gleason.
Born in Haverhill on October 2, 1955, he was the son of George W. an the late Carolyn (Wood) Gleason
Tom was educated in Haverhill and graduated from Haverhill High School, Class of 1973, and continued his schooling at Northern Essex Community College in Electronic Technology. Tom worked as a Tester and Test Support Specialist at AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and A-Plus Solectron in North Andover for almost 20 years until the company’s final closing in 2003. From 2004 – 2007 he worked as a freight and school bus driver with Laidlaw Transit Services, Conway Central Express, and First Student Inc. Since 2007 Tom worked as a Tester at Raytheon in Andover.
Tom was a former member of West Church where he sang in the choir. He was a member of the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In his youth Tom enjoyed horseback riding, music and karate. He was in a band for many years and loved to entertain family and friends with his beautiful singing voice and piano-playing. For most of his life Tom was a very active person and enjoyed jogging, walking, biking, the gym, boating, the beach and the outdoors. He was dedicated to his family and greatly valued the time he spent with them.
Tom was a devoted and loving husband, father, son, nephew, uncle, friend and grandfather. He will be dearly missed. In addition to his father, George W. Gleason of Haverhill, Tom is survived by his daughters, Kara Gleason and her husband Chris Kinney of Newburyport, Danielle Lavoie and her husband Chris of South Portland, ME; dear grandson, Finn Thomas Lavoie; aunt and uncles, Roslin (Wood) and Ralph Esposito of Newburyport, and Robert Gleason of Leadville, CO; and many loving in-laws, nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service on Thursday, August 7th, at 10:00 a.m. at Riverside Church. Calling hours at Dole, Childs & Shaw Funeral Home, 148 Main Street, Haverhill will be Wednesday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Interment at Greenwood Cemetery. Donations in Tom’s memory may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, 5th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851.