Calvin E Gleason

A Funeral Service for Calvin E. Gleason will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the Holdrege Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Sarah Fisher officiating.

A Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Eaton Cemetery, Heartwell Nebraska.

Calvin Edward "Cal" Gleason, 69 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Cal was born on October 24, 1955 in Minden, Nebraska, in Kearney County, Nebraska, the 3rd of 6 children born to Carl C. and Nola J. (Johansen) Gleason. He lived and received his education in Minden and graduated with the Minden High School, class of 1974.

On July 17, 1982, Cal was united in marriage to Lanette Jo Gardner at the Bethany Lutheran Church in Minden. The couple was blessed with two children:  Sean and Mikala.  The family made their home in Holdrege.

Calvin worked for Clinch Enterprises in Holdrege for 30-plus years.  He enjoyed his daily interactions with the customers he came to know. It was common for him to share stories of these daily interactions with his family around the supper table.

Cal will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. His hobbies included working on the family farm, tending to flowers and his vegetable garden, canning and preserving, watching old westerns and reading western novels, and working on puzzles.

He took pleasure in the simple things in life; taking his kids and grandkids fishing, following them in their individual endeavors, and swapping stories with everyone he bumped into. Cal didn't know a stranger! He especially enjoyed Mikala's collegiate volleyball team, and keeping up-to-date with Sean's landscaping business. An avid follower of Loomis athletics and UNK volleyball, he welcomed many of the students and their families as an extension of his own; always having a snack or piece of candy to share. He loved any time spent with his 5 grandchildren; carving pumpkins, making Christmas cookies, and helping them set up Lanette's Christmas Village.

Cal spent his later years keeping Lanette company at the nursing home; watching tv, playing bingo, and following Husker volleyball. He joked around with everyone, always wanting to put a smile on their face, and he was well-known for his bourbon ball recipe at Christmas.

Cal was preceded in death by his parents and his mother-in-law, Sandra Gardner.

He leaves to celebrate his life: his wife of 43 years, Lanette Gleason of Holdrege; his children: son, Sean Gleason and his wife, Haley of Great Bend, Kansas; and daughter, Mikala Vrbka and her husband, Casey of Holdrege; 5 grandchildren: Kaitalyn, Kesley, Kaysen, Parker, and Clara; his siblings: Cheryl (Andre) von Arx; Norma Gleason; Carla Gleason; Allen (Kim) Gleason; and Robert Gleason; his father-in-law, Don (Bonnie) Gardner; two sisters-in-law: Lori (Adam) Cribelli; and Chelley Gardner; and two brothers-in-law: Rodney (Erin) Gardner; and B.J. (Angie) Gardner; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Memorials are kindly suggested to the family to establish a scholarship in his name at Loomis Public Schools.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.