quietly and peacefully at her home in Jupiter, Florida, just how she wished to end
her days. As a toddler she was nicknamed “Honey” by her cherished older
brother and remained known by that name throughout her life. She was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on November 12, 1927, the daughter of prominent
Pennsylvania State Assembly member, Cornelius J McBride, and his wife,
Beatrice Baguet.
She attended Mount Mercy High School in Pittsburgh and graduated from
Marymount College in 1948 with a degree in Languages. While in college, she
often visited Washington DC, staying with a friend’s family through whom she
met many well-known political figures of the day, including Katherine Graham
andJ Edgar Hoover who had a particular fondness for her.
In 1951, she married the love of her young life, James E Gleason, and with him
delighted in raising their three children until James' death in 1977. During those
many years of creating a happy home for her family, Honey also maintained a
very active social life, yet still found time to volunteer for many charities. She
was particularly involved with St Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind, where she served
as board member for many years, and several stints as president of its guild.
In 1965, Honey returned to the academic world, graduating summa cum laude
with a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She
later started her own business, a popular and successful travel agency called
South Hills Travel, which she parlayed into travel throughout the world, visiting
and leading tours in dozens of countries including the Soviet Union at the height
of the Cold War.
In 1984, Honey married fellow Pittsburgher, John Datesh, owner of Dacar
Chemical, in San Francisco where she had relocated, and in a civil ceremony
officiated by the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, Rose E Bird.
Honey subsequently enjoyed 27 years of a happy marriage with John, splitting
their time between homes in Pittsburgh and Jupiter, and traveling regularly to see
their children and grandchildren, until John’s death in 2011.
Honey was a world class bridge player and played regularly into her 90s. She
was an avid reader with interests in a broad range of subjects, often finishing a
book in a single day, and religiously completed the daily crossword and other
puzzles of the Palm Beach Post. She remained very sharp and articulate until
the last few months of her long and well-lived life.
Honey will be lovingly remembered by her three children: Denise Dougherty
(Bill), James Gleason (Ginger), and Chris Gleason (Kelly); by her eight
grandchildren: Daniel Brickley (Monica), Rio Brickley (David Rayman), Alexandra
Dougherty, Calvin Gleason (Leah), Dixon Gleason (Kirsten), Liam Gleason, and
Stocke Gleason; and by her six great-grandchildren. In lieu of a memorial
service, Honey requested that family and friends the world over simply raise a
glass to each other, and remember the good times.
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