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QC10102013

42 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUSINESS • OCTOBER 10, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com 100 years of compassion for clients ADVERTORIAL BY JOHANN HAMILTON Gleason’s Funeral Home will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and its President, John Golden, knows that it couldn’t have made it this far without the special touch of being a family-owned business. Since Martin Gleason founded Gleason’s Funeral Home in 1913, it has become a place of comfort and compassion. After Gleason passed away, ownership went to his sons, John and Martin, who were at the helm until they themselves retired in 2000. After this, the brothers sold the funeral home to John Golden and Robert Gallagher. John Golden, who went to York College and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, used to study at the funeral home at night, which is how he initially became interested in the business. After receiving his degree, he went to mortuary school at the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, one of the most reputable funeral schools in the country. Golden received his funeral director’s license on January 1, 1979, and began working for Gleason’s in 1981. Golden’s brother, Tom, also came into the business in 2003. Although he was a member of the police force for 20 years, he became interested in funeral home service after seeing his brother doing pall bearing work. Tom eventually began doing this as well, and eventually he began driving the limousines and hearses. When he was ready to retire from the police department, he also enrolled in the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, and received his funeral license 16 months later. John made Tom his partner, and the funeral home became family-owned once again. In 2003 Tom and John opened Gleason’s in Bayside on their own. “The benefi ts of being family-owned is that either my brother Tom or I will be here seven days a week,” said John. A number of funeral homes in our area were sold to a large Texasbased corporation whose modus operandi includes rotating staff


QC10102013
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