“Jim and Jan” Gleason were long-time residents of the San Diego area. Jim originally moved from Minnesota in 1941, and Jan from Colorado in 1942.
They both lived in National City, California where they attended National City Junior High, and Sweetwater High School. They met each other and dated while at Sweetwater. On December 5th, 1953 after graduations, they were married. They moved to the Paradise Hills area of San Diego where they built a home with the help of Jan’s father to start a new life together and raise a family.
Jim worked as an installer at Western Electric, a division of AT&T. He worked at various offices across the county and out of town. He was offered early retirement in the 1980’s with the breakup of AT&T. After a short time, he became bored with retirement, and went back to work as an installer with a sub-contracting company for AT&T for another 20 years. He also served in the California Army National Guard in the San Diego area from 1949 to 1979 and retired honorably as a Sergeant First Class.
Jan was a stay-at-home mother and with Jim, raised three children: James, Rebecca, and Gerald. Later, she attended cosmetology school and worked as a licensed beautician for nearly 30 years. She was actively involved with her children in PTA, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Little League. She was also an incredibly talented and creative artist, and was very active in multiple art and craft classes and projects When she wasn’t busy creating, she was busy frequenting many antique and gift shops during their travels.
Upon Jim’s full retirement, they were inseparable, and spent their time traveling together across country and around the world with friends. They volunteered as ushers in Peoria, Arizona during Padres Spring Training, as well as at the Convention and Visitors Information Center in Downtown San Diego. They were both long-time and active members of The San Diego Swing Dance Club and the El Cajon Elks Lodge.
Jan passed away on November 8th, 2021, from congestive heart failure, and Jim passed on May 15th, 2022, from deteriorating health issues due to dementia. Because of their passings being so close together, and to celebrate their life as a couple for over 70 years, the family chose a joint life celebration service to honor their amazing lives. Following the service, their double cremation urn will be interred without a graveside service at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.
Jim and Jan are survived by their three children, James L. Gleason, Rebecca L. Drummer, and Gerald R. Gleason, as well as 10 Grandchildren, 6 Great-Grandchildren and 5 Great-Great-Grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family, requests any donations to be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
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