Leo DONLEVY

DONLEVY, Leo Jr.
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Leo Donlevy Jr. on May 12, 2018, at the age of 59 years. Leo passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, as was his wish. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Therese, and their four children Richard, Anne (Rory), Colin and Kevin (Daniela). Leo will also be sadly missed by his sisters, nieces, nephews, extended family and plethora of friends, colleagues and students; he was preceded by his parents, Leo Sr. and Evelyn Donlevy, his sister Cathy, brother Patrick, and brother-in-law, Wilf.
Born on September 11, 1958 in Calgary Alberta, Leo was the youngest of 8 children, 6 girls and 2 boys; he was a long awaited gift to his Roman Catholic parents. The church was a large part of Leo's early life; an altar and choir boy until he lost his boyish soprano, Leo spent much time in the church with his devout family. Groomed at an early age to take over the family business, Leo worked with his father at Marshall and Donlevy Ltd., a printing company, until Leo Sr. retired in 1981. Leo Jr. took over the company until he sold it in 1991.
In 1979, on May 12, Leo married the love of his life, Therese (nee Godbout), and proceeded to spend the next 39 years together, embodying the fundamentals of their vows through sickness and health, demonstrating the true meaning and strength of marriage as partners and parents.
In 1993, Leo passed his soccer referee certification and spent the rest of his life in the referee community as an assessor, provincial level instructor and mentor. Leo's impact upon the community as an advocate for education and development in its strive for excellence was far reaching.
Leo pursued his MBA at the University of Calgary, putting his experience in business to good use, graduating in 1995, with a job offer to teach at the University in their Entrepreneurship and Innovation department. For the next 21 years, Leo devoted himself to the University of Calgary and his students, excelling as a Tenured Senior Instructor and heralding in an increased respect for the department and its case teams. Leo spearheaded an unprecedented rise in respect for the case teams in the "Olympics" of the MBA world, the prestigious John Molson MBA International Case Competition, for 17 years with an unmatched record of success.
In 2016, Leo and his wife, Therese, took a leave of absence from the U of C and moved from Calgary, Alberta, to Ottawa, Ontario, to pursue a business opportunity; he became the President of VairTEX Canada Inc. and was completely dedicated to the mission of taking VairTEX from a small, local Ottawa firm, to a company with international ties.
Over his lifetime, Leo was a volunteer with many associations, including, but not limited to, the Aerospace Museum Association of Calgary, the Alberta Referee Development Committee, the Alberta Soccer Association, the Catholic Bible College of Canada, the Calgary and District Soccer Referees Association, the Calgary Graphics Arts Association, the Calgary Winter Club, the Caloha board of Directors, the Canadian Business Forms Association, the Canadian Printing Industries Association, the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre, the Earl Grey Golf Club, the Glencoe Club, the Inter-Faith Thrift Stores Association, the Knights of Columbus, the MBA Alumni Association of the University of Calgary, the National Graphic Arts Association, The Pastoral Reporter (The Official Print Communication of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary), the Printing and Graphics Industries Association of Alberta, the Printing Industries of America and the SAIT Graphic Arts Administration Program.
Leo will be remembered as a man of integrity, honesty and wit; a man who loved his family, honored his wife above all else, had a keen mind and was self-effacing to the point he could never see the lasting impacts he made. He was a man who couldn't let pass the opportunity of a good pun, no matter how pun-ishing, appreciated debate with a passion and loved unconditionally.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Ottawa Civic Hospital Emergency, Urgent Care and Acute Monitoring Area for their compassionate care.
Relatives and friends are invited to viewing and visitation at Hope Cemetery Chapel (4660 Bank St., Ottawa, ON, K1T 3W7 Cemetery) on Thursday, May 17, 2018 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Leonard's Roman Catholic Church (5332 Long Island Road, Manotick, Ontario K4M 1E8) on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Titus Egbueh presiding. Leo will be cremated following the service. A Memorial Mass and Reception will be held in Leo's place of birth, Calgary, Alberta, at St. Albert the Great's Roman Catholic Parish (10 Prestwick Dr SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 4J6) on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 11 a.m., after which Leo will be buried with his parents, older brother and brother-in-law, Wilf Backhaus, at St. Mary's cemetery.
In Leo's memory, and in lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be made in his memory towards one of the following: the Leo Donlevy Memorial MBA Case Team Fund; donations can be made at https://netcommunity.ucalgary.ca/ LeoDonlevyMemorialFund or can be sent to c/o Development Department, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB or the Canadian Hemochromatosis Society; donations can be made at www.toomuchiron.ca/donate/legacy/ or they can be reached Toll-Free at 1-877-BAD- IRON (1-877-223-4766).