Frank James Gleason Jr.

FRANK J. GLEASON JR., age 94 of Sidney Ohio, passed away Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 3:59 PM at his home.

Frank was born October 24, 1930, in Detroit Michigan to Frank and Norma (Nicol) Gleason, lately of Sidney, Ohio, now deceased. He is survived by his sister Barbara Whalen of Washington D.C.

On April 11, 1953, he married Jane Houldsworth at Holy Angels Church in Sidney Ohio by Father Lehman.  Jane passed away in 2004.

On June 12, 1999, he married Cassandra Estes at Holy Angels Church in Sidney, Ohio by Father Gerald Bensman. Cassandra passed away on January 28, 2020.

Frank is survived by two sons, Brian (Vickie) Gleason, and Tim (Amy) Gleason both of Sidney, 11 grandchildren: Holly (Ben) (Gleason) Wilk, Erica (Gleason) Sarkipato, Lauren Gleason, Matt (Addie) Gleason, Shawn Gleason, Grant (Emily) Gleason, Alex, and Madison Gleason, Devin (Erin) Richard, Connor, and Logan Richard, and eight great-grandchildren: Carter, Cash, Rilynn, Silvia, Teddy, Rowan, Willow, and Rosie. He was preceded in death by three sons: Terry Francis, Michael Joseph, and Daniel Patrick Gleason, and daughter, Maria Kathleen (Gleason) Richard.

Frank was educated at Holy Angels grade school, St. Johns Prep in Danvers, MA, Culver Military Academy in Culver, IN, University of Notre Dame, where he graduated Cum Laude in 1956, and the US Air Force Radar School at Biloxi Miss. He became a Sgt. and was chosen as one of the six top radar mechanics and was sent back to Biloxi to help develop a height finding radar.

He retired from Copeland Refrigeration where he was CEO of the Parent Company and CEO of Copeland of Canada, Copeland of Mexico and Copeland of Europe in Belgium. He was also CEO of Central Carton in Cincinnati, Dayton Superior Products of Troy Ohio and Piqua Paper Box.

He was an inventor, holding patents for noise reduction on refrigeration compressors (assigned to Copeland) and a chain saw starter which was still being developed for cost reduction prior to production.

He was an instrument rated pilot, an avid skier who taught all his children and grandchildren to love the sport in the mountains of Colorado where they had a residence. He was a sailor who crewed on the Banshee (Ed Willman, owner) that won the Key West to Cuba regatta in 1979.

He and Cassandra loved mountain climbing all over the world including Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Annapurna in Nepal and Huayna Picchu in Peru, South America, and mountains in Colorado. They visited places with no hotels or restaurants such as Siberia, Africa and Asia where it was necessary to interact with the native population.

Frank worked with Paul Clark to establish Sidney Airport and with the help of the Ohio National Guard built runways in Sidney and West Union Ohio. He founded the Front Row program at the University of Dayton, and a similar program at Notre Dame which included the scholarship fund program. His Terry Gleason Scholarship Fund has provided three scholarships for Ohio students at Notre Dame every year since 1996.

He enjoyed working with the Innovative Engineering Dept. at the University of Dayton regarding the chain saw starter, production methods to make paper boxes and the design of break-away clutches for Dayton Superior Products.

Frank was a founding member of the Clinton Realty Co which built many factories in Sidney and Dayton and the Hampton Inn in Sidney plus the Make It Happen buildings at the corner of Main & Poplar St in Sidney. He was the Chairman of the building fund to construct the Sidney/Shelby County YMCA, and he took a leading role to prevent the conversion of the Shelby County courthouse lawn into downtown parking. During the water crisis in the 60’s he initiated the program to use Mosquito Creek to supply clean, good tasting water for Sidney. He also established a “common marker” program at Copeland to allow local companies to produce parts for compressors and condensing units. Many Ohio companies formed and thrived under this program.

When the voters would not provide the funds to open Sidney High School in the late 1950’s he became a strong, and vocal, advocate and successfully got the funding approved. Likewise, he was a passionate, and frequent, supporter of the United Fund.

He loved Sidney and everything about it and he loved his country, serving in the US Air Force. He traveled to Vietnam with a delegation including his brother-in-law Charles Whalen in a successful effort to allow for the search of MIA’s.

Frank was a member of the board for Lehman High School and Chairman of the Holy Angels Endowment Fund. He was a member of K of C Lakewood, Ohio Council, Young Presidents Organization, Ohio Commodores, Moose Club, Piqua Country Club, YMCA, and U of D John Stuart Society.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10:30 AM at Holy Angels Catholic Church with Fr. John W. Tonkin officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Sidney. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5 to 7 PM, and on Friday from 9:30 to 10 AM at Cromes-Edwards Funeral Home.

Memorials to honor Frank may be made to Lehman Catholic High School and Sidney-Shelby County YMCA. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cromesfh.com