Torin James Gleeson, an East Hampton native, mechanical engineer, and inventor, died early on Saturday in a motorcycle accident in York, N.Y. Mr. Gleeson, who lived in nearby Linwood, in Livingston County in the northwest corner of the state, was 29.
Mr. Gleeson had a brilliant mind, his family said. The founder of Mechatuitive L.L.C., the self-employed mechanical engineer invented the Dyno Now on-board dynamometer, which measures the horsepower and torque output of a vehicle, and the Jaw Dropper Vise Grip.
“He loved motocross, watercross, anything with a motor, and fixing what was broken,” said his sister, Elizabeth Gleeson. Mr. Gleeson “got the most out of man, machine, and life,” and would have done anything for his family, friends, and even casual acquaintances and strangers, she said.
Last year, Mr. Gleeson was the national champion of the International Jet Sports Boating Association’s Region 8 East Coast Watercross Vintage Class. He was a member of the Genesee Valley Kart Club and a team leader of Cornell Baja SAE Racing, an engineering project team that designs, builds, and races an off-road vehicle to compete in the SAE Collegiate Baja Design Series, which he led to multiple wins throughout his college years.
Torin James Gleeson was born on Sept. 21, 1992, in Southampton to Sheamus Gleeson and Deena Lee Zenger, who survive. He grew up on Belgrove Drive in East Hampton and on Merchants Path in Wainscott. He attended East Hampton’s public schools before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in mechanical engineering, at Cornell University. He continued to live upstate after completing his studies.
In addition to his sister and his parents, all of East Hampton, Mr. Gleeson is survived by two brothers, Jack Gleeson of East Hampton and Quinn Gleeson of New Orleans. His grandparents Joseph and Linda Zenger of East Hampton, and Nell Gleeson of Coore, Ireland, also survive.
Mr. Gleeson will be cremated, and his ashes are to be scattered at a date to be determined.
A funeral service will be held on Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. A gathering will follow, at 6:30, at the Springs Firehouse.
