Thomas J. O'Leary

1951 - 2025

Thomas J. O'Leary

February 11, 1951 - November 5, 2025

Thomas J. O'Leary passed away November 5, 2025, with his family by his side after a brief illness. He was born February 11, 1951, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to the late Keith and Evelyn O'Leary. He was the youngest of five brothers and one sister (his protector). We are positive that Tom's parents modeled patience, consideration for others, being responsible, and a sense of humor on an hourly basis to raise six kids in a modest home.

Tom attended Assumption College, the University of North Dakota, and the University of Virginia, where he earned a Ph.D. in Sociology.

Tom spent 30-plus years working on the preparation and administration of grants to the National Cancer Institute to support cancer research and clinical trials, first at the University of Virginia (1984 to 2009), and then while commuting long distance to the Pennsylvania State University-Hershey (2009 to 2014).

In retirement, Tom greatly enjoyed playing golf at Birdwood plus playing tennis with his friends at Boars' Head. He loved early morning summer fishing trips on peaceful lakes in northern Minnesota with his brothers, generally followed by a large pancake breakfast and a nap.

Tom was predeceased by his parents; his brother, James; and his sister, Meredith. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Amy; his beloved sons, James (Parker Prothero) and Andrew (Emma Haught); his brothers, John (Jane), Keith (Marianne Markkanen) and Donovan; his sister-in-law, Meg (Gerald Conley); his brother-in-law, Bill Doble; and his adult O'Leary nieces and nephews whom he loved texting, emailing, and seeing in person when the stars aligned.

The family wishes to express its deep gratitude to the health professionals at UVA Hospital who tried so valiantly to stabilize Tom's health in the storm. To the medical and nursing staff on the 4W MICU at UVa, you are our heroes. You were so kind, so honest, and so attuned to our family's well-being as well as Tom's; we'll never forget you. And the constant support of our extended family and friends has kept us afloat through a heartbreaking time.

A celebration of life is tentatively planned for spring 2026, when the grass starts to become green on Tom's beloved Birdwood golf course. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the UVa Comprehensive Cancer Center, https://giving.uvahealth.com/organization/uva-comprehensive-cancer-center, or to the Charlottesville Loaves and Fishes Food pantry, https://cvillefoodpantry.org/, which provides full shopping carts of free healthy food to food-insecure residents in our area.

Teague Funeral Service