Mary O'Leary

1941 - 2021

Mary Margaret O'Leary was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 27, 1941 to John Jeremiah O'Leary and Ruth Creek O'Leary. She passed away peacefully on the morning of September 11, 2021 in Saint Helena, California. She was 80 years old.

The third of seven sisters and two brothers, Mary had a vivid imagination and, from an early age, was drawn to the wonder of the arts. As a girl, Mary wrote plays that were performed in the backyard. Invitations were sent out to the neighborhood to see Mary's theatrical visions. As a teenager, she fell in love with Audrey Hepburn, fine perfumes and costume jewelry. Later, it was opera and the movies. She introduced her younger siblings to the music of Gershwin and Ella Fitzgerald.

Mary grew up to be a beautiful woman with elegant sensibilities. She traveled to the far reaches of the world and collected carefully-chosen pieces of designer clothing, art, statement jewelry, and big, straw-brimmed hats. But Mary was not above going to the Coloma, Michigan Dairy Queen in her pajamas and bathrobe.

Mary's life was colored by dozens of close, decades-long friendships. She was a loyal member of a Chicago-based Saturday breakfast club that meets to this day. Mary was a generous and attentive friend who loved to entertain. She traveled with friends (new and old) to Prague, Finland, Mexico, Tahiti, India, China and Egypt. She made many trips to Paris.

Each summer, she would gather on the shores of Lake Michigan with her extended family. It was her favorite time of year. Mary was a devoted sister who logged thousands of hours on the phone with her siblings, just chatting and laughing. She made her nieces and nephews feel like actual rock stars. Mary adored her adopted cat, Maisy. Mary was a woman of unrelenting faith.

Mary deeply valued her formal education. After graduating from Trinity High School in River Forest, Illinois, Mary studied nursing at Villanova where she was president of her sorority before graduating in 1963 - just five years after the University began to admit female students. She came home to Chicago and taught her siblings its fight song - "V for Villanova, V for Victory." Mary received a Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois in 1979.

She worked at Chicago's Michael Reese Hospital for nearly 20 years, eventually becoming the director of Psychiatric Services, overseeing more than 150 employees. Her work was published nationally five times and, in 1988, she consulted with the World Health Organization. In 1996, she was elected a Janseen Clinical Scholar. Mary was passionate in her service to others and a mentor to many young people entering the field.

In 2002, Mary moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to accept the role of Patient Care Director at Stanford University's Lucille Packard Hospital. Later she became the Chief Nursing Officer at Saint Helena Hospital.

In 2018, at 77 years old, Mary met Richard Aubert, who became the love of her life. They loved to dance and listen to Judy Collins and Ella Fitzgerald; they spent evenings watching classics like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday and Casablanca. In the twilight of her life, Mary again found optimism and magic in the world of the arts - this time, with a partner.

Mary is survived by her six sisters - Judy, Susie (Greg Cahill), Ruth, Betty, Therese (Dr. Thomas Rudersdorf) and Peggy (Dave Olson) - and her brother John (Cathy Hamilton), 17 nieces and nephews and 26 grand nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother Charles "Chuck" O'Leary.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Mercy Home for Boys & Girls in Chicago, We Care Animal Rescue in Saint Helena, California or Trinity High School in River Forest, Illinois. Memorial services for Mary will be held in Chicago on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021.