“To be prepared to die is to be prepared to live.” Charles Spurgeon
Gerald Irvin “Butch” Gleason was born September 5, 1952 in Los Angeles, CA, to Betty Jean Scharff and Gerald Irvin Gleason. He grew up in Belle Gardens, California, where he graduated from high school in June of 1970. After graduation, he worked in Colorado building radio relay towers with his brother Wally until he went home to Los Angeles for a vacation and met the love of his life Carolyn.
Butch and Carolyn were married June 21, 1975, and moved to Colorado where he continued building towers. Later that year they started their family welcoming their son Jerry in December. The night their son was born Butch accepted Christ. In the next few years, they welcomed their daughters Becky and Laura at which time they moved to Golden, Colorado. It was in Golden that Butch and Carolyn started attending the Baptist Church located in their backyard and he was later baptized there on April 29, 1979.
In 1981, Butch and Carolyn visited some family in South Dakota and ended up accepting a job to work on a ranch west of Murdo. They worked on the ranch for approximately two years before Butch accepted a job at Byron Bible Camp. After turning his life over to Christ, it became his desire to serve the Lord in any capacity possible and serving at Byron was his first job in ministry. He served at Byron as the maintenance man for approximately 2 and a half years.
In 1986, Butch accepted a position at Cedarville University working in the maintenance department. They only lived in Cedarville for one year before returning to South Dakota to work back on the ranch. They lived in South Dakota until 1995 when he once again accepted a position at Cedarville University in the maintenance department. He served at Cedarville for 10 years receiving Staff Member of the Year in 2003. During his time at Cedarville, he served as a volunteer for the fire department and was also president of the Cedarville Fireman’s Association. Working at the university and the fire department were some of his greatest joys, as he cherished the time working with the college students.
In 2005 Butch and Carolyn moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to be closer to their daughter. Butch looked for opportunities to serve the Lord after moving to Louisville and in 2007 accepted a job as facilities director at Cedarmore Camp in Bagdad, KY. During his service at Cedarmore, Butch was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and underwent a bone marrow transplant at the University of Kentucky in 2014. After healing from his transplant, he continued to serve at Cedarmore until 2016 when he started to decline. Before moving, he was honored at Cedarmore for his service and one of the new dorms was named after him in his honor.
In 2016, Butch and Carolyn moved to Kadoka, South Dakota, to once again be near their daughter during his decline. In 2021, Butch was diagnosed with kidney disease as a result of the chemotherapy he had undergone during cancer treatments. During his decline, there was never a day he complained of his health but rather the blessings the Lord had bestowed upon him. He was an encouragement and a testimony to all who knew him.
Butch passed away on October 19th in his home surrounded by his family, due to renal failure.
Survivors include his wife Carolyn Gleason of Kadoka; son Jerry (LaDawn) Gleason of San Antonio, TX; daughters Becky (Lonnie) Roghair of Belvidere and Laura Llanos-Suarez of Kadoka; 12 grandchildren: Jeffery, Mikalea, Avery, and Asa Gleason; Abigail, Aidan, Allison, and Corban Roghair; Landen Gleason; and Chase, Jarret, and Kameran Work; 1 great-granddaughter Amity Work; mother Betty Angle of Williamsville, MO; siblings Wally (Darlene) Gleason and Shirley Gleason both of Williamsville, MO; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Butch was preceded in death by his father Jerry Gleason; sister Melody Spercher on September 29, 2025; a son-in-law Jonathan Cunningham on March 17, 2010; and a brother-in-law Dennis Spercher on June 29, 2025.
Visitation will take place one hour preceding the services at the auditorium.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 25, at the Kadoka City Auditorium with Ken Toews officiating.
Interment will follow at the Plum Thicket Hill Family Cemetery near Okaton.
A luncheon will follow the graveside services at the Belvidere Community Hall.
Cards and memorials may be sent to P.O. Box 408 Kadoka, SD 57543.
Arrangements are with the Rush Funeral Chapel of Kadoka.