Gleeson Family Donation Fund
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Please consider donating in Andy's memory to help support the Gleeson Family.
On December 8, 2020, Andrew Joseph Gleeson; devoted father of Andrew Thomas “Tommy”, Kathleen Cecelia “Katie”, Patrick Timothy “Paddy”, and Ronan Michael “Ro”; husband of Julie Ann Gleeson; beloved son of the late Andrew Thomas Gleeson and Gloria Diane Gleeson (nee Fiester); loving step-son of Regina Gleeson; cherished brother of Claudia Ritchey, Erin Gleeson, Janine Mertz and her husband John, Kerry Gleeson-Ferguson, and Tim Gleeson and his wife Victoria; dear nephew of Uncle Walter Cramp, Uncle Steven Cramp, Uncle David Cramp, and Aunt Pat Cramp; dear uncle of John, Madlyn, Kelly, Jaime, Julia, Jenna, Margaret, Ryan, and Shannon and the late Jack. Andrew is also survived by many other extended family and friends.
Andy Gleeson was born three days after the first Super Bowl on January 18, 1967 in Washington, DC. To his Mom, he was “Panda” and to his Dad he was “Irish.” Andy was the third child and the first boy of what would ultimately be five kids. Although Andy’s interests were typical of any boy growing up in those days, he showed a keen desire take on what the world had to offer him as well as an ability to make fast friends. He held odd jobs like newspaper routes and mowing lawns and always seemed to have a little money to buy the latest sports gear of his favorite teams – Notre Dame, the Washington Redskins, Washington Bullets, and Baltimore Orioles.
After seeing the St. John’s College High School band march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade one year, Andy knew that he wanted to be a Cadet. As a member of the class of 1985, Andy added a number of lifelong friends to those he had already made in childhood. During his senior year in high school, Andy started working for Giant Food as a courtesy clerk which would lead to a more than 30-year career in the grocery business. After high school, Andy ultimately earned his Bachelor’s degree from Towson University which was the reason behind Andy’s move from the DC area to adopt Baltimore as his second hometown (and another favorite team – the Ravens!).
Through old friends, Andy became reacquainted and fell in love with Julie Walters whom he married in 1999. Together, Andy and Julie were blessed with four beautiful children: Tommy, Katie, Paddy, and Ronan. These were the loves of his life, and the ones to whom he gave all he was able to give.
After nearly 15 years at Giant, Andy became a manager at Eddie’s of Roland Park for over 15 years. As he had in school, Andy continued to gain more lifelong friends from his various stints at Giant and Eddie’s. His final career stop, and the one that combined all that truly mattered to Andy, was as a Field Agent for the Knights of Columbus. As a long-time member of the Knights – including a term as Grand Knight of the Father O’Neil Council – Andy lived his faith according to the four core principles of the Knights: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
Charity: Andy strove to live by the Lord’s great commandment to love God with all his heart, mind and soul and his neighbor as himself. This love manifested in Andy a love and devotion to his family and friends. Among the hundreds of expressions of sympathy over Andy’s death, so many have talked of his kindness, humor, and faith.
Unity: Andy’s life was indelibly impacted by the tragic divorce of his parents. The pain of that experience formed in Andy a desire to foster a sense of togetherness among his family and friends. From the many lifelong friendships he made to finding and restoring the bond between friends who had fallen out of touch, Andy sought unity among all whom he loved.
Fraternity: Andy had only one brother by blood, but from St. John’s to the Knights of Columbus, he had an enormous band of brothers. But the fraternal love Andy shared wasn’t limited just to men. Andy’s friendliness and humor drew all kinds of people into a family-like bond that increased the number of those who considered him as a brother, son, or friend.
Patriotism: Like so many American families, the Gleeson family story was one of persecuted people emigrating from their homelands to make for themselves a better life in the United States. For the Gleesons, that meant leaving Ireland in the mid-19th century, taking jobs as menial laborers, and joining the fight for freedom in the Civil War. That experience combined with an abiding Catholic faith, fierce love of country, hard work, and the ability to have a good time fueled by lifting a pint or two were handed down to succeeding generations. Andy took these lessons to heart and carried with him a love for country grounded in faith in God and the belief in the essential goodness in all people.
As with most tributes to a lost loved one, there is rarely a recognition of the lesser qualities of the departed. Other than perhaps the greatest saints, everyone has faults and failures and Andy was no exception. But it is not worth recounting anyone’s shortcomings because the list of virtues almost always outnumbers the vices. Andy knew his shortcomings and was probably no better or worse than anyone else in overcoming them. But he never gave up trying to overcome them until the day he died.
A dear family friend who knew Andy from the time he was a little boy said, “My picture of Andy in my head is him walking up, a grin on his face, a shoulder bump, and the beginning of a story...” We all look forward to hearing that story when we meet again, dear Andy, laughing till tears run down our faces, and lifting a pint or two. Until then, may the Lord grant you eternal rest and let his perpetual light shine upon you. May your soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. We love you!
On December 8, 2020, Andrew Joseph Gleeson; devoted father of Andrew Thomas “Tommy”, Kathleen Cecelia “Katie”, Patrick Timothy “Paddy”, and Ronan Michael “Ro”; husband of Julie Ann Gleeson; beloved son of the late Andrew Thomas Gleeson and Gloria Diane Gleeson (nee Fiester); loving step-son of Regina Gleeson; cherished brother of Claudia Ritchey, Erin Gleeson, Janine Mertz and her husband John, Kerry Gleeson-Ferguson, and Tim Gleeson and his wife Victoria; dear nephew of Uncle Walter Cramp, Uncle Steven Cramp, Uncle David Cramp, and Aunt Pat Cramp; dear uncle of John, Madlyn, Kelly, Jaime, Julia, Jenna, Margaret, Ryan, and Shannon and the late Jack. Andrew is also survived by many other extended family and friends.
Andy Gleeson was born three days after the first Super Bowl on January 18, 1967 in Washington, DC. To his Mom, he was “Panda” and to his Dad he was “Irish.” Andy was the third child and the first boy of what would ultimately be five kids. Although Andy’s interests were typical of any boy growing up in those days, he showed a keen desire take on what the world had to offer him as well as an ability to make fast friends. He held odd jobs like newspaper routes and mowing lawns and always seemed to have a little money to buy the latest sports gear of his favorite teams – Notre Dame, the Washington Redskins, Washington Bullets, and Baltimore Orioles.
After seeing the St. John’s College High School band march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade one year, Andy knew that he wanted to be a Cadet. As a member of the class of 1985, Andy added a number of lifelong friends to those he had already made in childhood. During his senior year in high school, Andy started working for Giant Food as a courtesy clerk which would lead to a more than 30-year career in the grocery business. After high school, Andy ultimately earned his Bachelor’s degree from Towson University which was the reason behind Andy’s move from the DC area to adopt Baltimore as his second hometown (and another favorite team – the Ravens!).
Through old friends, Andy became reacquainted and fell in love with Julie Walters whom he married in 1999. Together, Andy and Julie were blessed with four beautiful children: Tommy, Katie, Paddy, and Ronan. These were the loves of his life, and the ones to whom he gave all he was able to give.
After nearly 15 years at Giant, Andy became a manager at Eddie’s of Roland Park for over 15 years. As he had in school, Andy continued to gain more lifelong friends from his various stints at Giant and Eddie’s. His final career stop, and the one that combined all that truly mattered to Andy, was as a Field Agent for the Knights of Columbus. As a long-time member of the Knights – including a term as Grand Knight of the Father O’Neil Council – Andy lived his faith according to the four core principles of the Knights: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
Charity: Andy strove to live by the Lord’s great commandment to love God with all his heart, mind and soul and his neighbor as himself. This love manifested in Andy a love and devotion to his family and friends. Among the hundreds of expressions of sympathy over Andy’s death, so many have talked of his kindness, humor, and faith.
Unity: Andy’s life was indelibly impacted by the tragic divorce of his parents. The pain of that experience formed in Andy a desire to foster a sense of togetherness among his family and friends. From the many lifelong friendships he made to finding and restoring the bond between friends who had fallen out of touch, Andy sought unity among all whom he loved.
Fraternity: Andy had only one brother by blood, but from St. John’s to the Knights of Columbus, he had an enormous band of brothers. But the fraternal love Andy shared wasn’t limited just to men. Andy’s friendliness and humor drew all kinds of people into a family-like bond that increased the number of those who considered him as a brother, son, or friend.
Patriotism: Like so many American families, the Gleeson family story was one of persecuted people emigrating from their homelands to make for themselves a better life in the United States. For the Gleesons, that meant leaving Ireland in the mid-19th century, taking jobs as menial laborers, and joining the fight for freedom in the Civil War. That experience combined with an abiding Catholic faith, fierce love of country, hard work, and the ability to have a good time fueled by lifting a pint or two were handed down to succeeding generations. Andy took these lessons to heart and carried with him a love for country grounded in faith in God and the belief in the essential goodness in all people.
As with most tributes to a lost loved one, there is rarely a recognition of the lesser qualities of the departed. Other than perhaps the greatest saints, everyone has faults and failures and Andy was no exception. But it is not worth recounting anyone’s shortcomings because the list of virtues almost always outnumbers the vices. Andy knew his shortcomings and was probably no better or worse than anyone else in overcoming them. But he never gave up trying to overcome them until the day he died.
A dear family friend who knew Andy from the time he was a little boy said, “My picture of Andy in my head is him walking up, a grin on his face, a shoulder bump, and the beginning of a story...” We all look forward to hearing that story when we meet again, dear Andy, laughing till tears run down our faces, and lifting a pint or two. Until then, may the Lord grant you eternal rest and let his perpetual light shine upon you. May your soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. We love you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Gleeson Friends
Organizer
Mays Chapel, MD
Julie Gleeson
Beneficiary