Robert J. Gleason

Robert Jay Gleason (Bob, Pa, Roaming Bobbett, BobbyJay ) led quite an eventful life in which he experienced The Great Depression, World War II, wall mount telephones ( two long, one short to get his parents home! ) that transformed into a small phone you carry in your pocket, horses pulling hay wagons and plowing fields to computerized super tractors that can practically drive themselves, only brilliant stars in the sky to thousands of satellites in the sky, the assassination of presidents to being one of the witnesses of the crash of the B-24 in Blockville, NY in 1944 while working in the fields on Open Meadows Road with his father. Bob also had many adventures traveling around the United States with high school friends and seeing parts of this country that just amazed him – he even took a road trip down the famous Route 66!

Bob grew up on the Gleason farm and helped his father (Jay Gleason) with the family lime business, apple orchards and farms on Open Meadows Road. Bob was quietly proud that his family was able to help support the folks in the area during and after the Great Depression by providing jobs through their many endeavors. He learned the importance of helping friends and neighbors when the need arose by walking and working alongside his father and mother.

Bob shared many stories about his younger years of being a member of the Stedman Grange and attending the square dances, going to Archie’s (which is now Stedman Corners Cafe) with his father and getting a bag of ginger snaps while visiting with the others at the store, and helping to build the bowling lanes for the bowling alley in Panama, a tedious job of putting layers of wood together and then placing them in one long piece on the floor to construct each lane! In later years, Bob’s business ventures became known as Gleason Enterprises, which comprised of his electrical and plumbing business as well as some construction and other endeavors.

Bob made many friends during his lifetime, most of which he stayed in contact with throughout his days. Bob was an avid hunter, as was his father, always looking forward to opening day – he did not miss an opening day in 75 years! Bob was also active in community events such as softball teams, coaching and other sports in the area, where he helped youth (and adults) learn discipline and good sportsmanship, as well as developing lifelong friendships.

Bob was known as a polite, gentle and generous man – a man who found a young teen living in a barn, so he brought him home and gave him a place to stay for a while – a man who always said he wished he could do his electrical and plumbing work for free as he knew most of those who called him could not afford to pay him – a man who took in his father-in-law when he was ill and cared for him until he passed.

One of Bob’s stories he liked to share was the one of Obediah. Obediah was an older gentleman who appeared one day and homesteaded in the Wall Street and Eiden Road area. Obadiah had no family and did odd jobs in the area to survive. Bob and a few of his friends would look after Obediah, and every Christmas season Bob and a few buddies would go to the store and purchase clothing, food, and other items, wrap them and give them to Obediah. Bob shared that Obediah looked forward to Christmas with the men of the community – Bob ensured that tradition was kept. Obediah shared very little about himself, but each year, at Christmas, when he got his gifts, Obediah would sit there and cry, while Bob sat next to him. One day Obediah left, just as quietly as he came, and Bob often said he worried and wondered about the old man and hoped that he had found what he was searching for. As for others in the area, if Bob was aware of someone needing some help in his community, he always did what he could to assist them, and he did so quietly, without expecting anything or recognition in return.

Bob was a Sergeant in the National Guard, 27th Armored Division, Charlie Company, serving his country and community for almost 9 years. He loved to share stories about shooting the different guns, driving a tank and the adventures the unit had when they would go on maneuvers at Camp (Fort) Drum. One of his favorite stories of his National Guard years was when one of the other guardsmen snuck a goat up to Camp Drum and the reaction of their Captain when he found it! During his National Guard days, and after, Bob was known for his colorful limericks and cadences, as well as his “Confucius Says” quips, which all brought rounds of laughter and guffaws from his fellow guardsmen, family and friends! Bob enjoyed his years in the National Guard, and shared stories of the hilarious adventures he and his cohorts had over the course of time. His time in the Guard forged lifelong friendships that he treasured dearly.

Bob did many things for his community of Open Meadows Road quietly and with a generous heart. He maintained the Open Meadows Church, Ebenezer, since about 1965, ensuring the heating and electrical systems worked and performing basic maintenance on the building, most often without charging the church for his time and materials. He often shared stories of how his family, along with the Fisher family and a few others, founded and built Ebenezer in 1835. His Great Uncle, Abraham Lincoln Gleason, was once a preacher at the church, and the bell in the belfry was constructed and mounted in remembrance of the Gleason family.

Bob also shared the history of the area through stories of his ancestors helping to build the community, such as when his grandfather Jones set up the telephone lines in the Stedman Exchange so many years ago. Bob spoke of sitting with his grandmother as a child, on a little wooden stool in a small shack in the field across from the United Methodist Church at the end of Wall Street, spotting and identifying any airplanes that flew overhead by looking them up in a little book she had to ensure they were not German (WWII era – Jamestown was a target). During this time, he also helped his father go around the area at night to perform his duties as an air warden, ensuring lights were out, people were safe, in case of an air raid by enemy bombers.

Bob also enjoyed flying kites each Easter! A couple years back, Bob was able to fly a big box kite like he had when he was a child – the smiles and laughter that day reflected his love of life’s adventures, and his very dear memories of his cherished mother and father.

Bob often related stories of being associated with a local volunteer fire department in Panama in his early days. Bob enjoyed sharing his adventures of utilizing an Indian Pump filled with water and walking the railroad tracks in the Niobe / Watts Flats area to put out fires in the swamp that were ignited by the sparks from the trains’ brakes as they passed through. Bob still has his “Indian Pump” and enjoyed sharing its history with others – especially the story of saving a telephone pole in the swampy area by utilizing the pump slung across his back when no one else was able to maneuver the murky cold waters!

Bob lived the last part of his life at the cabin in the woods, a place he truly loved! He was a writer’s muse and was often referred to as The Roaming Bobbett in many stories telling of the adventures he and his red-headed wood nymph (Miss Judy Wroda) had living in their enchanted woods. In one story, Roaming Bobbett is telling his red-headed wood nymph that she cannot keep the bear that was sitting on the porch eating her basket of apples, while she was trying to get past him to get a photo of the bear! Roaming Bobbett decided the bear could not stay on the porch and live at the cabin as the red-headed wood nymph wanted, so he reached out and smacked it on its nose and told it to leave – which the startled bear did, much to the red-headed wood nymph’s chagrin!

In his latter days, Bob enjoyed sitting on the porch watching the red, black, gray and white squirrels running about the limbs of the sturdy evergreens, watching the different woodpeckers doing their duties, watching a little mink play in the creek and waiting for bigfoot to come out of hiding and sit with him on the porch for a while, and sitting in his ‘fancy huntin’ stand’ (aka the covered bridge) while the deer roamed the grounds in the evening, listening to the songs of the birds! He enjoyed sitting in the living room in front of a warm fire and listening to his music as he completed his word search puzzles, and snacking on homemade cookies and cinnamon rolls with his coffee. Bob also enjoyed a nip of his ‘medicine’ (Yukon Jack Whiskey) that he had hidden in his Big Foot flask that always sat next to him on the table! Bob was quite the character, and very much a country gentleman.

Bob missed his mom and dad and talked of them almost daily. He understood and appreciated the importance of his family, and he often shared how he admired his father and his determination to always be good man to his family and those in need. Bob stated he looked forward to seeing them again soon, and at this time, that is what he is doing, visiting with his mom and dad! He has told his red-headed wood nymph that when he gets settled up there, he is bringing his mom and dad to visit the cabin in the woods, the home he loved so dearly.

Bob is survived by his long-time companion, Miss Judy Wroda, children Bobby, Randy, Marsha, Julie, Janice, Mike and Carlos; his two brothers Roger and Denny Gleason, a few cousins and lots of friends.

The funeral will be held at 10 am Saturday in the Lind Funeral Home, followed by a cemetery committal service at Open Meadows Cemetery. Friends will be received from 4-7 pm Friday in the funeral home.

Bob loved flowers, but if you wish to make an honorarium instead of sending flowers, please make the donation, in Bob’s name to either the US Army National Museum in Washington D.C., of which Bob is a founding member, St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Sherman ( Stanely Hose) Volunteer Fire Department, Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care, or you can make a direct donation in the name of Robert J Gleason in care of Lind Funeral Home. If you would like to send flowers, he loved Lilies of the Valley and brightly colored flowers! He always smiled when Miss Judy brought him a bouquet of flowers home from Wegman’s, and he would sit the vase of beauty beside him, alongside his Bigfoot flask filled with Yukon Jack Whiskey and homemade cinnamon rolls!

A loving “Thank You” goes the Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care nurses, social workers, aides and chaplain, Colleen Quinn RN, Bobby and Jolene, Linda and Cole, Roger, Pastor Roy, and all who visited with Bob in his last days – he so loved the time spent, and I am so grateful for your love and support. Your kindnesses made his last days absolutely remarkable!

Bob truly wanted to share with everyone something his father taught him about life: Be honest, help others when you can, do not hurt others in words or deeds, and don’t lie or spread gossip and rumors. He also wanted to share a cadence or two, but they are a bit too “colorful” to be sharing!

Please know you are loved and will be missed, Roaming Bobbett. And you are welcome to come and visit your cabin in the woods and your red-headed wood nymph, anytime. I do so love you – Your Miss Judy.