Ann Marie Gleason, 58, Sturgis, died Saturday October 7, 2006 at the Ft. Snelling Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis, MN, from complications of an undiagnosed interstitial lung disease after a lengthy battle.

Ann was born September 13, 1948 to Boyd and Francis (Hinderks) Johnson in Aberdeen, SD. She served in the US Army Nurse Corp from 1970 to 1974 during the Vietnam War as a registered nurse at Fort Polk, LA. Ann grew up in Sturgis and graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1966 and went on to Presentation College and graduated from SDSU School of Nursing obtaining a B.S. degree in 1970. She joined the US Army in September of 1971 where she met and married her husband, Chuck Gleason, on January 19, 1972 at Fort Polk, LA.

A devoted, loving wife, mother and grandmother, Ann was known for her compassion, understanding and willingness to help and serve others and a total selflessness seldom seen in very many other people. She spent most of her nursing career as a Director of Nursing at a Louisiana Nursing Home. Ann loved children, gardening, sewing and a myriad of other talents from painting to crafting. She loved her whole family and looked forward to any occasion where all could gather.

Survivors include her husband and two sons, her parents, 3 brothers,2 sisters,also two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Ann was preceded in death by her brother Robert.

Mass of Christian Burial at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis with Fr. Arnold Kari officiating. Burial with military honors follows at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to the Catholic Relief Services or NAMI-SD; the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill – South Dakota Chapter.

Arrangements by Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.