Betty Gleason

Betty Lorraine Gleason, age 81, of Turk Lake, rural Greenville, passed away Monday, March 21, 2011, at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. The daughter of Lester & Arlie (Kline) Thomas, she was born on Feb. 7, 1930, in Vicksburg. Following her graduation from high school, she married Eugene Gleason, Jr. on April 3, 1948. Eventually making their home in Greenville, Betty retired from the former Gibson Refrigerator Company where she worked as both a welder and in the tool crib and was a member of UAW Local 137 -- serving on both the Veterans and Retiree committees. She was a member of the Turk Lake United Methodist Church, the Trufant Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 383, the ladies auxiliaries of the Ray I. Booth American Legion Post 101 in Greenville and the Lester J. Sitts VFW Post 5065 in Sheridan, as well as the Moose Lodge in Greenville. She enjoyed dancing, playing shuffleboard at the Moose, as well as womens league bowling... having served as secretary of the Greenville chapter of the National Bowling League and past director of the United States Bowling Congress-Womens Bowling Association. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, William Thomas; her husband, Eugene Curly Gleason on Jan. 22, 2001; and a nephew, Milo Thomas. Surviving are her children, Thomas Arden Gleason of Turk Lake, Kristie & Michael Perry of Irons, and Leslie Marie Algren of Grand Ledge; grandchildren, Michele & Brian Collins, Stacie & David Haberek, Robb & Stephanie Stratton, Wendy & Kenneth Binge, Thomas Arden & Michelle Gleason, Jr., Heather Marie & Michael Kilborn, Sarah Elizabeth Gleason, Cindy Algren, and Todd Algren; seventeen great grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Wanda & Doug Weaver of Greenville; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation is Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Christiansen Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 511 S. Franklin Street, Greenville, where envelopes for memorial contributions to the Trufant Chapter O.E.S. No. 383 will be available. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2011, at Turk Lake United Methodist Church, 8900 W. Colby Road, Greenville, with Pastor Kay Welsch officiating. A luncheon will follow and burial will take place privately at Rest Haven Memory Gardens, Belding. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Betty Gleason, please visit our flower store.