James Michael Gleason Jr

James Michael Gleason, Jr. of Edgewater Park, NJ, departed the earth into the eternal and loving arms of Jesus on August 26, 2022 at the age of 79, at home with family by his side. Jim was a “cookie monster” who loved life to its full. Every day he would look down and say “yup, another day above ground, it’s going to be a good one”. He was an impressive and inspiring volunteer for organ and tissue donation and transplantation and his ongoing advocacy for organ and tissue donation and transplantation was second to none, locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. You couldn’t Jim and be in his company for more than 5 minutes that you didn’t learn something about donation and transplantation. Jim was born on March 10, 1943 in New Brunswick, NJ, the son of the late James and Grace (Crouse) Gleason. Jim was the eldest of six children. The family lived four years in Bondi Beach, Australia post WWII. In 1952 they returned to America where they lived in the “radio section” of Metuchen. Jim graduated from Saint Peters High School, New Brunswick, Class of 1960. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1965 from Seton Hall University, and a Master of Arts in Education in 1968 from The College of New Jersey. Jim married Johanna Zolnierowicz in 1965 and together they had three children, Susan, Mary, and Michael. Jim began his career as a math teacher in 1965 at Saint Peters School in New Brunswick. Then in 1969 Jim commenced a 36-year career with Unisys Corporation in NJ, Richmond, VA, Albany, NY, and Blue Bell, PA, until retiring in 2005. At Unisys, Jim was selected as the 2003 Volunteer of the Year. Jim loved his roles and was saddened to retire early as Unisys was down-sizing. On October 19, 1994, Jim received a life-saving heart transplant. Shortly after, Jim began volunteering at the Gift of Life Donor Program the Region’s Organ Procurement Organization. He developed a Volunteer Leadership Manual and Training Session and a Volunteer Speaker’s Manual and Annual Training Sessions, a perfect carryover from his professional career. Jim was also a volunteer speaker, speaking at more than 500 events coast to coast, reaching more than a half-million audience members including doctors, medical students, nurses, nursing students, Rotarians, Masons, Hadassah members, students, Senators, Congressmen, clergy, church members, funeral directors, transplant coordinators, and many others. Jim was a member of Team Philadelphia at the U.S. Transplant Games a biennial event for transplant recipients to participate in athletic competitions to give witness to the success patients experience following organ transplant. Jim attended the games from 1996 to 2014, over those years he won 61 medals in tennis, badminton, and swimming events. During the games, Jim was also a writer for TransWeb.org providing online real time reporting of the stories and happenings of the Transplant Games. It was at the 2002 games that Jim met his heart donor’s family at the National Donor Recognition Ceremony. At the same games Jim received the American Society of Transplantation Award for his outstanding commitment to the cause of organ donation and transplantation Jim also volunteered for; Second Chance Heart Transplant Support Group which raised money to provide grants for patient’s financial support, National Kidney Foundation (NKF) TransAction Council working on public policy as well as meeting with Congressmen and Senators to change policies for Medicaid/Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for solid organ transplant patients, and the Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO). Jim co-founded the Philadelphia Chapter of Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO) and helped secure financial stability. He developed mentorship and back-to-work workshops for transplant patients while building a productive volunteer Board. TRIO Philadelphia, with the help of several youngsters, wrote a children’s book for children to understand what their parent was experiencing, “Mommy Can Play Again” is free for the asking and is now in its Fourth Edition. In 2012, Jim became the President of TRIO International and remained at the helm until his death. During his tenure he returned the organization to a fiscally solvent, action producing not-for-profit. Their newest initiative is a website recently released dedicated to post-transplant cancers; an issue faced by many transplant patients. Jim was also a committed volunteer with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) where he held several various Committee roles including; Patient Affairs, Thoracic Organ Transplantation, and Membership & Professional Standards. In 2019, Jim received UNOS’s National Donor Memorial Award for Excellence “in recognition of his untiring efforts as a donation advocate”. UNOS President Sue Dunn said, “Jim’s level of commitment to promoting donation and helping other transplant patients is unparalleled”, “He has been a tireless advocate for more than two decades and continues to plat a vital role within the donation and transplantation community”. Through the years, Jim coordinated with local heart transplant center social workers to mentor more than 115 patients through the myriad concerns of being listed, waiting, getting transplanted, and follow-up care. He visited many other patients, sharing his story to help them along their path of waiting for and receiving the “gift of life”. At first, Jim wrote a monthly newsletter “The Upbeat Heart” to help patients, care-givers, and family members hope as they were facing the challenges of transplant. He wrote a self-published book “A Gift from The Heart – A Sharing of One Man’s Heart Transplant Experience”. He was an Editor for NKF’s publication “For Those Who Give and Grieve”. An avid reader with a penchant for critiquing his reading Jim was asked to review one author’s kidney transplant book. His book review led to him reviewing more than 50 transplant-related books, many of which are on the TRIOweb.org website. Jim’s first love is his relationship with God and his church. Jim had several roles at Asbury; Church Council President, United Methodist Men President, Annual Conference Delegate. He also recorded and posted on the Asbury website as well as Facebook livestreaming each service. Jim hosted Financial Peace University, Movie Nights, and the annual Men’s Cooking Demonstration. Jim was predeceased by his parents, one sister, Mary Ellen, and one brother, John Francis, and a brother-in-law, Bill Kolacy. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Pamela (Colvell), his three children, Susan (Chris) Anderson, Mary, and Michael (Kim Costira), his step-daughter, Kate (Dave) Cuffee, seven grandchildren; Carol Anderson, Gail Anderson, Sabrina Gleason, Shane Gleason, Avery Gleason, Keira Cuffee, and Caleb Cuffee, his first wife Jay Gleason, his sisters, Betsy Kolacy, and Margaret (Barry) Agin, and many nephews. Services will be held Friday, September 2, 2022. Calling hours from 9:30 – 11:00 am, Memorial Service at 11:00 am, Interment immediately following. All services will be at Asbury United Methodist Church, 2492 Andover Road, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077. For GPS coordinates, use Route 130 and Andover Road, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077 At Jim’s request, please no flowers. In lieu of flowers please send memorial donations to Asbury United Methodist Church, 2492 Andover Road, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077

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James Michael Gleason Jr

March 10, 1943 - August 26, 2022