Janet Gleason Obituary

Janet Mueller Gleason, 81, of Las Cruces, N.M. went home to be with the Lord and with her husband of 48 years, James Edward Gleason, on April 15, 2017. She was surrounded by family and friends listening to Ave Maria as she passed peacefully.

Janet was born Aug.1, 1935, to Col. Edward A. and Jessie Mueller in Station Hospital, Chilkoot Barracks in the town of Haines, Territory of Alaska.

She lived on four continents and multiple States. Living in Louisiana during WWII was one of her fondest memories as a child, as well as living in Colorado Springs where she graduated from Colorado Springs High School in 1953; her nickname was "Mullet".

She went on to Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Ill. where she graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. After several years in the workforce at Sears, she soon found out that her male counterparts were paid more than she was. When she asked about it, she was told she would never earn as much as men. She did not take this well and decided she would join the Women's Army Corp to not only receive a fair wage, but to honor her father as well. Janet enlisted into the service in 1962. After bring stationed in New Hampshire as a Recruiter, she was transferred to Colorado Springs, and assigned to Headquarters ARADCOM Ent, Air Force Base, where she met and fell in love with Lt. Gleason. After a three month engagement they were married at Ft. Carson.

Lt. and Lt. Gleason made their home in Colorado Springs and were both promoted to Captain. In 1966, Cpt. Janet Gleason was Honorably discharged and marched in her last Armed Forces Day parade in downtown Colorado Springs, pregnant with her first child. She then became an active officer's wife, following in her mother's footsteps and volunteered at every duty station in Community Theater, and the American Red Cross. The Gleason's retired in Las Cruces where Janet and her husband became active volunteers at Holy Cross Parish and the Diocese of Las Cruces. One of her most loved volunteer positions was Prison Ministry with her husband, and they served at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison.

Janet is survived by her sister, Ina Rehtmeyer, Normal, Ill.; her daughter, Kathleen Gleason, Las Cruces,; her son, Christopher and his wife Mary Gleason, Huntley, Ill.; her grandchildren, Kinzie Lee Anne and Ryann Justin,Colorado Springs,; Abigail Marie, Huntley, Ill., and her great-granddaughter Ella Anne Michelle, Colorado Springs.

Memorial donations may be made to the Las Cruces Diocese Retirement Priest fund or the American Red Cross.