Mary Ellen Gleason

Mary Ellen (Smith) Gleason, peacefully went to be with Jesus May 22, 2023, at her home in Montgomery, TX. In the days preceding her death, Mary was visited by family, friends, and caregivers who came to shower this beloved lady with love & affection.

How do you summarize a life that spanned 100 years? You don’t - there’s just too much to share! Mary was born in Cherokee, Kansas on December 26, 1922, to Roy & Ellen Smith. Mary grew up with one brother and three sisters with whom she shared a special bond. Mary met the love of her life, Tommy Lee Gleason, in Pittsburg, Kansas while he was serving in the Army Air Corp during WWII. It was love at first sight, and after only seeing each other on weekends for three months, they married on December 29, 1944. Over the years, Mary & Tommy made their home in Kansas City, Kansas; York, Nebraska; Beeville, Texas; and Sikeston, Missouri, and they established many lifelong friendships. In 1986, the couple moved to Montgomery, TX and built their forever home. They loved opening it to visitors for holidays and other occasions and enjoyed life in April Sound. Right before their 61st anniversary in 2005, Tommy passed away, and Mary would continue to live in their home for the remainder of her life.

Mary’s life was defined by her priorities: Faith, Family, and Friends. She attended April Sound Church and dearly loved her friends there. She hosted the Ladies Auxiliary in her home for several years. Hospitality was one of Mary’s gifts, and she used it to bless others throughout her life. In recent years, Mary attended church at Fellowship of Montgomery where she quickly won the hearts of many new friends. Mary also loved playing golf and being a member of the “Lady 9ers”. She played for 25 years, retiring her clubs at 92!

Family was everything to Mary. As adults, her sisters enjoyed getting together, often planning fun-filled “sister trips”! Mary’s daughter, Nancy, and her family also made April Sound their home, so Mary’s heart and life were full. Visits and phone calls from her sons, Tom and Jim, also added joy to her world. Mary adored her grandchildren, and each was special to her, but if you also wanted to see her face light up, you just mentioned one of her five great-grandchildren or her great-great granddaughter! They were her delight and one of her favorite pastimes was sharing new pictures of them. In recent months, Mary shared her home with a group of wonderful caregivers who adored her. Mary referred to one of her caregivers, Cindy Lawrence, as her “best friend”, which showed exactly how Mary felt about her.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy Lee Gleason; her father and mother, Roy & Ellen Smith; her brother, Buddy Smith; her sisters, LaVona McColm, Peggy Van Gorden, and Betty Naccarato; her daughter-in-law, Carol Gleason, and her granddaughter, Suzi Baros. Mary is survived by her son, Tom Gleason and LeaAnn Quist; her daughter, Nancy Christy and husband, David; her son, Jim Gleason and wife, Stephanie; grandchildren, Neal Christy, Ellen Carter and husband, Glenn, Sarah Doney and husband, Troy, Sam Gleason and wife, Hailey, Mary-Claire Gleason, Caroline Gleason, Aaron Gleason and wife, Brenda; great grandchildren, Beatrix Carter, Audrey Carter, Clara Doney, Carter Gleason, Conner Gleason, Katelyn Baros, Justin Baros; and great-great granddaughter, Ella Baros. Add to this legacy, other relatives, and countless friends whose lives Mary touched.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at Cashner Funeral Home on Thursday, May 25th. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. with the service following at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored by a contribution to the charity of your choice.