Please remember in your prayers George Gleeson, a longtime adjunct faculty member in the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering. He died at age 83 on Sunday, Dec. 7.
George Gleeson
Dr. Fred Zimmerman, professor emeritus who in 1985 helped to found the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering, said Gleeson “was one of the most effective financial guys I’ve ever known. He was very dedicated to our program and even this semester was teaching from his wheelchair, until he just couldn’t do it any longer.
“He was one of those very memorable instructors and was part of our program from the start,” Zimmerman added. “Even though he was not a full-time faculty member, he did a lot to help the program, including serving as editor of our Journal of Applied Manufacturing Systems.
“He was very demanding but you learned a lot. He always had large classes and was very popular. We were lucky to have him.”
Gleeson taught Managerial Accounting and Performance Management, Enterprise Information Systems and Managing for Improved Profitability.
“I remember that he’d tell our students that the best way for a company to make money is to stop losing money,” Zimmerman said.
George Gleeson with one of his English bulldogs named "Cash Flow."
Gleeson was very fond of English bulldogs and over the years had five of them. As his students could tell you, they all were named “Cash Flow.”
Prior to his 28-year teaching career at St. Thomas, Gleeson worked for Control Data, National Computer Systems and Computool, and also was a financial consultant.
Gleeson is survived by his wife, Virginia, of Minneapolis, and a sister, Frances Lamm.
A funeral Mass was held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Annunciation Catholic Church, 509 West 54th St., Minneapolis. Visitation was held at the church one hour before the Mass.
The family prefers no flowers, but memorials can be directed to Annunciation Catholic School or DeLaSalle High School, both in Minneapolis.
