Larry Gleason

Larry LeRoy Gleason passed away on Sunday, Dec. 9, at his home on Lark Meadows Ranch. He was born in Potlach, Idaho, on April 25, 1935 to Mark Edwin and Velma Rose (Burch) Gleason. He married Alice Rose Giesey on May 13, 1956, in Kalispell. They were married for 62 years.

He is survived by his wife, Alice; his daughter, Gena Rae Steindorf (Dan) of Belgrade; his son, Ronald Mark Gleason (Virginia) of Ronan, his son, Donald Charles Gleason (Linda) of Billings; and his daughter Kristine Rose Bowman (Troy) of Columbia Falls. Larry is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Larry was a pillar of the Ronan community. He served the community on the rural fire board, as Little League Baseball commissioner, three terms on the school board and as chairman of the school board, a member of the Jaycees, a charter member of the Mission Valley Back Country Horseman and helped to build the Ronan Community Center. After helping to build and start operations at the Plum Creek Timber Company plant in Pablo, Larry was the head saw filer at plant No. 2 for 30 years before retiring at age 55. When he retired, he started Gleason Saddlery where he made custom saddles for more than 15 years.

A celebration of Larry’s life will be held on April 27, 2019, at the Ronan Community Center.