Allen Irwin Gleeman, DVM
Allen was born on May 12, 1925 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Calvin Coolidge was president. The country and the world were on the brink of a great depression and then a great war. But on that particular Tuesday, the world got a little brighter and a little better.
His parents, Sam and Cecelia Gleeman raised him and his older sister, Marcia, in Elizabeth. Sam was a musician by trade. Leader of his own orchestra, he played sax and clarinet.
Allen had a singular dream since the young age of seven: to be a veterinarian. Just seven years old. When he got a bit older, the dream had to live on hold for a while, because upon graduating from high school at 17, he could not wait to join the Navy and fight for his country. And so he did. Four years in the Naval Armed Guard took him to combat theaters from the Aleutian Islands to the South Pacific. And he said he loved every minute of it.
"But Dad, weren't you scared?"
"No, no I wasn't. I was too young, t
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Allen Irwin Gleeman, DVM
Allen was born on May 12, 1925 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Calvin Coolidge was president. The country and the world were on the brink of a great depression and then a great war. But on that particular Tuesday, the world got a little brighter and a little better.
His parents, Sam and Cecelia Gleeman raised him and his older sister, Marcia, in Elizabeth. Sam was a musician by trade. Leader of his own orchestra, he played sax and clarinet.
Allen had a singular dream since the young age of seven: to be a veterinarian. Just seven years old. When he got a bit older, the dream had to live on hold for a while, because upon graduating from high school at 17, he could not wait to join the Navy and fight for his country. And so he did. Four years in the Naval Armed Guard took him to combat theaters from the Aleutian Islands to the South Pacific. And he said he loved every minute of it.
"But Dad, weren't you scared?"
"No, no I wasn't. I was too young, too immortal and having way too much fun to be scared!"
After he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1945, he returned to his dream with purpose and passion. He attended and graduated from Rutgers University. And then, with the help of excellent grades and the G.I. Bill, his dream started becoming his reality. He applied and was accepted to Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. But not before marrying Bobby (Barbara) Ginsburg in 1950. Together they made the journey up to Lansing, Michigan, where Allen studied the profession that was to embody his life and his passion for the next six decades. While in Lansing, Marc was born in 1952, and Andy in 1954. Bobby devoted herself to her three boys while Allen devoted himself to his books. And in June of 1954, Allen Gleeman, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, graduated with honors.
That is when he became a veterinarian. But he became so much more as his wonderful life unfolded.
Allen was Bobby's adoring and devoted husband of sixty four years. Allen loved Bobby unconditionally. He loved the beauty, the energy, the cultural and artistic spirit and the incomparable style with which she filled his world. His beautiful blue eyes never stopped giving her "that look" when he saw her. "You look beautiful, Bob" was something he never got too old to say. Nor she to hear.
He was a loving, patient and supportive father. And his boys loved, enjoyed and respected their dad beyond measure. They always will.
And Allen was a Gramps crazy and ecstatic with love, wonder and admiration. He was a Gramps filled with the sweet belief that his grandchildren, Drew and Emma, will set the world on fire and accomplish everything they want.
And Allen was a very loving, lucky father-in-law to Beth Davis, of whom he thought the world.
Allen is also survived by his loving older sister, Marcia Roff, who is 93 years young, and her children, his nieces, Judy and Jill.
He is survived by Corrie, his grand-dog and Graycie, his grand-cat, both of them being the lucky recipients of his love and lots of free veterinary care.
And Michele Boff, Sherry Milazzo and Carolann Abbate have been extraordinary and special people in Allen's life. They have been loyal, long time friends of Dr. Gleeman, Kenilworth Animal Hospital, and the entire, extended four-legged KAH family. Working with Dr. Gleeman for a combined 70+ years, Michele, Sherry and Carolann were an integral part of making Kenilworth Animal Hospital the wonderful place it was for so many decades.
Allen was always a smart, snappy dresser. (Thanks, Bobby!). Flashing white hair and beard and beautiful blue eyes that always made contact with whomever he spoke. He was beautiful and distinguished to behold.
Always happy to offer a smile, a joke or clever banter. Always treated people, whether friends or strangers, clients or those with whom he dealt day in and day out of his life, with respect and kindness. And if he did not agree, he would absolutely let you know, but he would always do it with the same respect and kindness.
Back to the dream and passion...
Dr. Gleeman practiced his passion for nearly sixty years. And he would say that he loved every single day of it. From the very lean early days, right up to the very last day, June 17, 2013, at the age of 88, when we watched him treat his last patient, and we watched an era come to a bittersweet ending. Dr. Gleeman had a true gift. He would talk to his four-legged patients and they would listen. Really.
We believe that, after nearly sixty years as a sole practitioner, Dr. Allen Gleeman spayed and neutered, saved, treated, improved and, with compassionate mercy, ended the lives of more beloved pets than any human being.
In the later years, when we would try to discuss with him slowing down or even retiring, he would always respond with a gentle, "No. I still love it and I'll do it until I can't do it anymore." Which is exactly what he did.
Allen Gleeman's true soul was not that complicated. He didn't use words so much as he used his way of life to project his soul outward.
First and foremost, in his soul, he was love for his family.
And he was love for his four-legged family.
Allen's soul was musical. He loved making music and he loved listening to it. Basie, Miller, Dorsey and Ellington were his favorites. For many years, he was the piano player in a 16-piece swing band. And how he could tickle those ivories! And then, he taught his young son to play piano. He did it with a feel for the beat and the patience of a saint.
Allen had a hungry soul. He loved his food at home (Bobby was a truly superb cook) and out in the culinary world around him. From baked beans to caviar; from the finest restaurants in Florence and the South of France to White Castle and Larry's Deli. He loved it all. And oh, how he loved the exotic things. Those adventurous, miscellaneous parts of animals that only a veterinarian would know existed and were edible.
He had a thirsty soul. He loved his wine, his scotch and a martini.
And he had an adventurous soul. He loved his travel. The travel bug that bit him young, as a 17-year-old sailor in the Navy, stayed with him and flourished for the rest of his life. England, Spain, France and Italy. Colorado and Napa Valley. But France and Italy were his favorite places in the world, and he explored them restaurant by restaurant, vineyard by vineyard, by car, on foot, by bike and by boat.
He enjoyed reading and was maybe the world's slowest reader. But when Allen Gleeman read a book,
it stayed read. Read Less
