Pat and Jim Gleason are San Diego classics. Their relationship has gone along in classic American courting style ” a long time.
They are certainly great examples for the youth of today, and great inspiration for today’s married couples. In a time when divorce rates are high and commitments low, their relationship has endured.
It seems these days that romance sometimes takes a back seat to the fast-paced left coast California lifestyle.
And it takes a lot of effort for a marriage to make it 58 years ” along with good health, love, friendship, dedication and most of all trust.
Just ask the low-key and easygoing University City residents. And, while you’re at it you might ask them how important Valentine’s Day was?
The Gleasons will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. They were married in 1948.
The two met when she was in junior high school and he in high school in San Diego. They sat across from one another on an old San Diego electric streetcar that ran a route from east San Diego to downtown. It was certainly destiny. It was here that they first noticed each other. They were both headed to a dance at the downtown YWCA.
Once they got to the dance, friends arranged for their first formal meeting. Soon after, they double-dated with those same friends.
“I still remember, she wore a white dress with a pretty blue ribbon,” Jim said. “She was lovely. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.”
It was 1942 and they were soon both Hoover High School students.
“Our first date was to the old Egyptian Theatre in Hillcrest,” Pat said. “It was very nice. He was very nice.”
Their favorite date back then? Going to drive-in restaurants.
Pat said that with them, it was love at first sight. The two fell in love instantly and the rest was history. They have much to reflect on.
Jim is also a special San Diegan as he was a pitcher for the old minor league San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. He pitched in the Padres organization after playing for San Diego State University.
“I trained in Ontario (California), then went first to Tacoma, an affiliate of the Padres,” Jim said. “Then later I played for the Dallas team and then back to San Diego to play for the Padres.”
He played for the Padres organization from 1947 to 1951.
Jim proposed to Pat on Christmas Eve of 1947, in the car on their way to a Christmas party. They married before the Ontario spring training. He was 20 and she just 19.
“We got married at the Kensington Community Church, that is still standing, in front of about 50 friends and family,” Jim said. “She wore her sister’s dress, who had gotten married just before we did.”
Their first son of five was born in August of 1949.
“After two boys and me pregnant with our third son, I decided I didn’t want to travel with Jim during baseball anymore,” Pat said. “We ended up having four boys within five years, and then about four-and-a- half years later we had one more son.”
Five sons ” but what about a girl?
“We kept trying for a girl but we have five wonderful men now as our sons,” Jim added. “It is great.”
Jim went on to have a long, post-baseball career. He worked in some capacity for the city and county of San Diego for 30 years before retiring. The first four years, Jim worked as a San Diego Police Department officer patrolling the streets of San Diego. He then went into industrial safety and managed workers’ compensation for the city, finally becoming the assistant to the city manager. He was also the first director of emergency medical services for San Diego County ” quite an illustrious post-baseball career.
Pat worked for Pacific Bell for more than 30 years (she totaled 26 continuous years). Her dedication to family was so strong that she would take summers off to be with her boys.
So, in the romantic end what are the secrets to commitment, a long marriage and dedication to family life? After all, the Gleasons’ anniversary is approaching.
“We say each other is our best friend,” Pat said. “Being best friends is very important.”
“She is my best friend,” Jim added.
“In the first 20 years of our marriage, it was all about child-raising,” Jim said. “Our recreation was our kids. Later, they we were able to enjoy camping, traveling in our motor home. Then, we bought a sail boat and became members of the San Diego Yacht Club.”
“We attribute our success to the fact that we like each others’ company more than anyone else’s company.”
“We never thought that it would not work,” Pat added.
“Always each other’s best friend,” Jim reinforced.
For the Gleasons’ 50th wedding anniversary, 200 of their friends and family partied at the San Diego Yacht Club in a gathering organized by their sons. All but one invited couple was able to attend ” a telling tribute to the quality couple they are.
Today, with their sons all living in Southern California and southern Nevada, their extended family is close to home. They now have two grandsons, two granddaughters and one great-grandson.
The Gleasons are proud of their home at the Classic Residence by Hyatt at La Jolla Village, the luxury retirement community in the Golden Triangle area near University Towne Centre.
Jim was recently elected president of the resident council within the community.
“We hope that for Valentine’s Day, all of our La Jolla friends and neighbors were fortunate to really enjoy each others’ company,” Pat said.