Christopher Gleason Obituary Johnstown, PA, Friends remember ‘Renaissance guy’

Christopher Gleason Obituary, Death – Over the course of his 79 years, Christopher Gleason significantly influenced the history of one of Cambria County’s most distinguished families. He was a well-known name in local and state Republican politics as well as a professional race car driver, a member of two local halls of fame, a family man, an avid reader, a salesman, and a fitness enthusiast.

On Friday morning, a local man named Gleason passed away abruptly. He was referred to as “sort of a Renaissance man” by Lawrence Tabas, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. Gleason’s success in a variety of fields was attributed to his “just amazing determination,” according to Samuel Catanese, a close friend for life.

Gleason worked closely with his brother, Robert Gleason Jr., both in politics and in their business, Gleason Financial. The Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Business Hall of Fame inducted them jointly in 2014. Our relationship is really solid, Chris Gleason said at the induction ceremony. We are extremely close buddies as well as very close brothers. As a team, we get along wonderfully.

Gleason had a number of positions in the political advice sector at the local, state, and federal levels. Together with his brother, who was the party’s state chairman, he held the position of state finance chairman for the Republican Party. They had a deep interest in politics and administration from a young age.

At the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Chris Gleason said in an interview with The Tribune-Democrat, “I can remember when I was a tiny child, we used to sit around the dinner table and talk about politics and voting and all that stuff.” ” We read three to four newspapers each day at home. We’ve gone through these before.

“There, a large portion of the information provided to us was political in character. We kind of evolved inside our environment. I think that’s probably what first caught our interest as kids. The subject matter of those political debates usually veered over into other areas where Gleason felt just as strongly. Tabas said he wasn’t merely a politician. “He and I usually ran into one other at political events. He loved to read. His love of history was unwavering. He and I used to exchange reading lists, history books, and other things.

I once told Harry Truman a compelling story about his decision to use the atomic bomb during World War II. We spoke about books to read on (Winston) Churchill, the Second World War, and history in general. Gleason was involved with a number of organizations, including the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, the Hiram G. Andrews Center, and the Johnstown-Cambria County Airport Authority.

A strong supporter of the community, according to Catanese, who will be honored into the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Business Hall of Fame in 2023. He earned a sizable fan base. Even as a dad, he was an excellent man in every aspect. Gleason took part in professional racing for more than 50 years after receiving driver training at Brands Hatch in 1968 in England. He took part in a number of series.

He finished sixth in the 1997 French 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1978, he also shared the title of Rookie of the Year in the Formula Atlantic Series. Because of his achievements, he was admitted into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame. Additionally, he mentored those who were just starting out in the racing business, most notably Chip Ganassi, the owner of the wildly successful Chip Ganassi Racing Teams and a three-time Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, and 24 Hours of Le Man’s champion.

Chris was there when I first started to get into racing “reassured that whichever I chose, I could spend time with my family. Chris, a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, “essentially paved the road for me,” according to Ganassi. Without him, there is no question that my career would have undergone a huge transformation.

One of the many significant areas in Gleason’s life where he achieved success, according to Ganassi, was racing. If you recall a famous quote from James Bond, “You only get one chance to live. From Ganassi “Both are for your ambitions and for you. That was how Chris was. He lived two separate lives, one for himself, and the other for his goals. He liked racing in addition to being married, having children, and owning a business.