John W. Gleeson

John W. Gleeson passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 24th, 2025. He was 79 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents, John W and Sue L Gleeson (nee Egizi). John will be missed dearly by his daughter, Elizabeth Gleeson; son, Max Gleeson; daughter-in-law, Ericka Gleeson; grand-daughter, Eleanor Gleeson;

former wife and friend, Deborah Gleeson; brother, Robert Gleeson; sister-in-law, Judith Gleeson; nephews, Michael and Robert Gleeson; niece, Megan Gleeson; as well as many other cousins and friends.

John was born on September 9th, 1946, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their family moved to Arlington Heights, Il in 1956, when he was 10. He graduated from Arlington High School in 1964, before attending University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. John graduated college in 1968 as president of the Delta Tau Delta Beta Upsilon chapter. After graduating, he stayed fiercely dedicated to his fraternity and took pride in volunteering as a chairman of the educational board, compiling data and creating presentations for the benefit of the fraternity, and hosting events and ceremonies for his chapter. He received the Alumni Achievement Award and remained active as a director of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation for the rest of his life. John fostered connections with each generation of the Delta Tau Delta brotherhood and was considered a close friend, mentor, and role model to many.

John spent his entire career at Walgreens, beginning as a stock clerk for his father’s store in 1962, and retiring in 2008 as senior vice president and chief strategy officer of the company. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he began his dedicated work as an analyst in 1969, and would eventually prove himself as a key player in the company’s tremendous growth and success throughout the 1990s. John first came up with the idea for the freestanding store concept that Walgreens pioneered, focusing on placing retail stores at high-traffic corners with parking lots and drive-thru pharmacies for convenience. Later on, he would lead the company’s Strategic Inventory Management System (SIMS) project, a revolutionary approach to technology which saved billions in inventory costs and changed the pharmaceutical sales industry for decades to come. John was often praised by colleagues for his creative, strategic mind and countless contributions to the company.

John was a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, growing up in Arlington Heights and moving to the city where he began investing in real estate rental income properties in the 1970s. His knack for design and love for restoration led him to eventually purchase an 1880s two-flat in Lincoln Park, which he passionately worked on throughout the 1980s. He transformed the old apartment building into a beautiful home where he raised his family and countless memories were made by everyone who visited. Many years later he thoroughly enjoyed sharing his passion for design and real estate with his daughter Elizabeth, as they teamed up to work on several other investment projects in the Northwest suburbs.

John loved music. He was a talented musician and he spent his free time playing the bass guitar and mixing sound recordings of his own musical projects. During his time with the Walgreens company, he formed a band by the name of ‘The Executones’ with some of his closest colleagues at the company, and they were very popular throughout the 90s and 2000s. During his retirement, John split his residence between Arlington Heights and Mount Dora, Fl., continuing his passion for music in both places by networking with local musicians and attending open mics where he played bass. He had a love for vintage automobiles from the 1960s and 70s and his passion continued into the last years of his life, where he restored his own vintage cars and loved to attend car shows.

John was a gentle and wise man who took great care and pride in his family, friends and his communities. His mind was filled with ideas and insight which flowed easily to the benefit of all who knew him. He will be remembered by all who knew him and missed dearly.

Funeral Service and Visitation Wednesday, January 7, 4 to 8 p.m. at Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N Arlington Heights Rd, Arlington Heights, IL. Info: https://johnwgleeson.com