Roy Rogers Gleason

Age at death 81

Date and location of death August 9, 2025 Pinion Mesa, Colorado

Cause of death

Date of birth September 2, 1943

Place of birth Montrose, Colorado

Parents Omar E. Gleason Ethel Frazier

He was raised by his grandparents Roger and Minnie Gleason until her death when he was 13 then went to live with various relatives till he turned 18.

Date of Marriage: February 8, 1964

Place of Marriage: Montrose, Colorado

Name of spouse: Barbara Joan Gleason

Education history: grade school, Oak Grove Montrose Colorado

High schools: Montrose high school, where he participated in wrestling until injury. Ridgeway high school until he moved to live with his father in Nucla Colorado.

While at Ridgeway he participated in the Little Britches Rodeo and won the all-around cowboy title He rode bareback and saddle bronc and bulls..

While in Nucla he was a member of a team who did square dance on horseback. He trained his horse to work the pattern without a bridle.

employment history: worked on ranch for his board and room at ridgeway, Colorado while in high school there

Drove truck with his father in Nucla, colorado

Worked in the Idarado mine where he broke his back.

Drove truck with Harry Hawks in Montrose, Colorado Hauling cement from Florence, Colorado to Montrose.

Went to work on the Owl Creek Road construction.

Worked as a fuel delivery driver for the Texaco bulk plant montrose colorado

Purchased a dump truck and pup in 1964 went to work as an owner operator hauling iron ore from Ophir to railroad in Ridgeway Colorado during the summer months.

As an independent owner operator, he hauled various items in the winter. Hauled graveling roads, He also trimmed and cut trees. He broke his back when trimming trees when the cable broke. Put his face in the chainsaw.

He started hauling logs in 1972.

He sold his trucks and trailers in 1979 and moved to Grand Junction to operate and manage a sheep ranch which later was changed to a cattle ranching operation, where he continued to work and live until his death.

He loved hunting and fishing and working livestock. He loved the mountains and was part of it. He loved riding across it and sharing it with his friends. He loved having his family with him and would load up Barbara and Boyd and Theresa in the truck and take them with him on loads out of town. He provided a new home in Montrose for them .

He is survived by his wife Barbara of Grand Junction, Colorado his son Boyd Gleason (Brenda) Grand Junction, Colorado,

Daughter Theresa Smythe (Darrell) Clifton Colorado

His grandson Tristen Holmes, Grand Junction, Colorado

His Granddaughter Kassandra Holmes, Grand Junction, Colorado grandson Patrick Gleason, Grand Junction, Colorado.

And 2 great-grandsons Kayson Jo, Wyatt and a great granddaughter Winona of Grand Junction , Colorado

He is also survived by his half siblings Loretta Gedeon (Lenny), Elbert "Paul" Gleason (Patricia), Sheryl Hatter (Dirk) and Debra Svec (Vincent); and his in-laws, Sally Gleason, also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He is survived by long term friends and new friends

He deeply loved his wife and celebrated their

61st wedding anniversary February 8, 2025.

He taught her how to back up a logging truck and work on the logging trucks and go hunting with him along with a great deal of other things

He loved his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. His eyes would light up when the kids came out. He would take time to help each one and teach them to ride and rope and run equipment, work on equipment.

He shared a special bond with each one. His son with working on equipment haying, talking over the day's work. He and Boyd could gather cows on the 4 wheelers where people horseback couldn't get them His daughter and the horses and riding on the mountain and gathering cattle, She learned enough from him about mechanics that she could work on her own vehicles and back up a trailer as well as Roy or her brother. (which was spot on) His grandson Tristen gathering cows and fixing fence and breaking the colts. Roy would sit by the corral and tell Tristen what to do. Because of his legs he never got to ride the horses Tristen broke. A man saw one of the horses Tristen broke and wanted to buy it on the spot. His granddaughter Kassie and riding for cows and getting her over being afraid if the horse acted up. "I need your help getting the cows in just take the reins and hit her where the colt sucks and hang on" She did, and they got the cows in. He brought out a special love for cattle in his grandson Patrick, a friend called Patrick the cattle whisperer. Patrick made friends with a mean butcher steer that you had to watch. Patrick could talk to him and the steer would nuzzle Patrick anybody else and run.

He rode with grampa in the tractor loading hay and feeding. If grampa wasn't there, he would very calmly point to the gear they should use.

He and grampa would cut hay, and he knows what gears the swather should be in. If someone showed up to talk to Roy, he would sit for a while then wave at them and shut the door and got a job to do grampa.

He always made sure that everyone had enough to eat at our table He brought home strangers who were down on their luck and house and feed them in exchange for their help. He brought home a couple who were stranded in Montrose that he met at the filling station and let them stay the night and fed them breakfast the next morning

There are so many more things he did for people.

He had a strong work ethic, which he taught to his kids. He was still swathing hay and raking hay and going to the mountain checking cows on the four wheelers when he could no longer ride horses -even though his feet hurt him so bad he would thrash his feet in his sleep and sometime couldn't sleep

He had a job to do, and he would do it no matter the pain.

He was proceeded in death by: twin boys his older brothers (his only full siblings)who died at birth Father Omar E Gleason, Mother Ethel Frazier

Sister Catherine Rogne, Brother Omar (Bud) Gleason Grandmother Minnie Gleason Grandfather Roger Gleason 2 aunts Donna and Mardel and 2 uncles Gene and Ed who he was raised with,.

Services

Visitation will be held at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary & Crematory, located at 2515 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81505, on August 22, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

The Rosary will take place at Immaculate Heart of Mary, 790 26 1/2 Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81506, on August 23, 2025, from 10:30 am to 11:00 am.

A Mass will be held at the same location, Immaculate Heart of Mary, on August 23, 2025, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Burial will follow at Orchard Mesa Cemetery, 2620 Legacy Way, Grand Junction, CO 81503, on August 23, 2025, starting at 12:30 pm.

A Memorial Reception will be held following the burial at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 790 26 1/2 Rd., Grand Junction, Colorado 81506, starting at 1:00 pm.

An open time of sharing memories and a celebration of life will be available at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary & Crematory, 2515 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81505.

1:00 P.M meal at Immaculate Heart of Mary catholic church

Roy Gleason's family wishes to express their deep gratitude to all the people on the mountain who tried so hard to revive him and the emergency members and the people who prayed.

Thank you especially to Boyd and the people who helped him finish the haying for daddy and to Theresa, and Tristen who finished the job he started moving the cows across the top. You all did a great honor to him by doing so

Thank you Kassie grand daughter for coming and staying with me on the worst night of my life

A sincere thank you to the cowboys and cowgirls and their willingness to take over and complete the job, especially Mike Lawson and Jake Stevens.

Roy was a loving, giving, hard working, free spirit a devoted husband and father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation of hay to family.