James Michael Gleason, 60, of Holliston, passed away peacefully at his home with his loving wife, Deborah and beloved daughter, Anne, by his side. Born in New Britian, CT, he was the son of the late Marie (Harper) and John Gleason and was the husband of 35 years to Deborah Jean (Kukla) Gleason of Holliston.

Jim attended Boston University where he received his BS and MS degrees in Physical Therapy. He was an Associate Director at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center for Developmental Disabilities. Jim was an integral part of the LEND Program as well as a key member of the health promotion research team at Shriver, where he participated in many projects as an expert on physical activity for people with disabilities. He was an instructor for the Dept. of Pediatrics at UMass Medical School. As an Education and Research Coordinator for Special Olympics, he was involved in the national and international FUNfitness Healthy Athletes Screening Program.

He was the Chairman of Ironstone Therapy Board and a member of the Board of Director’s of Challenge Unlimited, the parent organization for therapeutic riding at Ironstone Farm. Jim and Dr. Allen Crocker did groundbreaking work in developing the early intervention therapeutic riding program at Ironstone Farm; it was Jim’s concept to develop this program.

Jim was a loving husband and Father. He was an Irish musician who played the flute and tin whistle with Stoneybatter Band and several other bands. He loved being outdoors, walking, hiking, gardening, and fly fishing.

Besides his wife, Jim is survived by his daughter, Anne Gleason and her husband Daniel Brady; his siblings, Thomas Gleason and his wife Kathy, Jacqueline Pinard and her husband Kenneth, John Gleason and his wife Pam; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 11th from 5-8p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston, 854 Washington St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com
A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00a.m. on Thursday at St. Mary’s Church of Holliston. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to Challenge Unlimited/James Gleason Scholarship Fund, 450 Lowell St, Andover, MA 01810 or through the website, www.ironstonefarm.org.