Dennis O'Leary Obituary
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pao pao
December 23, 2010
This Chrismas I can't stop thinking of Dennis, how kind he was to everyone yet so much fun.
December 23, 2010
Its almost 2011 and I still Remember Dennis and miss him so much.
pao
Michael Trdan
January 9, 2006
Dennis and I were best friends for nearly fifty years and his passing over a year ago has been difficult for his family and all his friends. To say he is missed barely touches the sense of loss we feel. He was a grand friend and almost a brother to me. I think about his wit and competiveness and his incessant love to talk and would give anything to hear his voice again.
Mary Jo Sanchez
January 14, 2005
Dear Lorraine and Ruth. I worked with Dennis at the senate 58 political get to gethers in No. Mpls. I liked his good charector, his great jokes and his kindness to me and my husband during his illness with esophegal cancer and early death. It was so considerate of him to phone me and tell me he was praying for Sal when he had his own struggles with the disease. He was a sweet man and Minnesota politics has lost a great champion and friend
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Nancy Johnson
December 27, 2004
It was my privilege to know Dennis when he worked as a library page at Minneapolis Public Library in the early '70's. As a just-getting-started librarian, I was befriended by Dennis and frequently subjected to his goofy sense of humor. Working in the government documents department one quiet evening, I received a call from the stacks-- Dennis reporting that my vertical file was leaning at a rakish angle. While this is probably not one of Dennis' better jokes, it is, for some reason, the one I remember when I think of him and it does illustrate his dead-pan humor. Dennis also served as the catalyst for other valued friendships I made while at Minneapolis Public, for which I am very grateful. Always a gentle, thoughtful man with unique opinions that he was never afraid to share, the world will certainly be a duller place without Dennis O'Leary.
George Hord
December 23, 2004
I liken my experiences with Dennis like the aviator in the book "The Little Prince" The little prince explained to the pilot that he had played a great trick on him by giving him laughing stars. Whenever he looked up in the night sky the stars would always make him think of the little prince and he would laugh. That's what Dennis did while he was with us. He gave us all laughing stars to remember him by. Dennis was our little prince and whenever I think of him it will always make me smile.
Marylee Hendricks
December 22, 2004
Dennis and I met at the Minneapolis Public Library, where we worked during our college years. We shared a Catholic background and love of goofy jokes, and became buddies.
When I started studying karate, he supported me with that enthusiasm he so freely shared with his friends.
We spent many Friday evenings watching Humphrey Bogart movies at Xanadu Film Festival in a church basement on the U of M campus, then going out for coffee to rehash the experience. (His war gaming pals are familiar with this event procedure - plan, do, discuss.) Most of the Bogart movies I’ve seen, I saw with Dennis for the first time.
After the library years, we ran into each other infrequently, but always dropped easily into conversation as if little time had passed since our last visit. I’ll remember him as a dear, kind, witty friend, gone too early.
My sympathy and condolences to Dennis’s family and many friends (this is a tough one, Mike), to his wife Lorraine, and especially to his dear mom on the loss of this good man.
Judy Borman Fehn
December 21, 2004
Lorraine and family,
I was traveling in Europe for work and when a got home had an email from Cathy Peterson telling me of Dennis's death. I am so sad to hear of this because I was looking forward to working with him on our next class reunion.
I never really knew Dennis during HS but have worked with him on several of the last HS reunions. I loved his sense of humor and I am sad I hadn't known him better in HS. As was written by Paul Sequin I was on of those who never really belonged to one group but became my own person after HS. I will dearly miss not seeing him again.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and my hope is that in due time happiness and peace will return to you.
Judy Fehn
rod wilson
December 19, 2004
Lorraine, I was saddened when I found word of Dennis in the paper on Wednesday. I remember when I saw the late Don Cavitt in the paper. As you know Don was a mentor to Dennis as well as me. It was indeed a blessing to have crossed paths with Dennis during our stay here. We both shared many things in common, sense of humor, creativiteness, he properties owner - me painter at that time, and broadcasting in it's areas. My blessings and support for you.
loretta frost
December 18, 2004
Dear Lorraine: I met Dennis when
I worked at KDWB and KEEY radio.
He was just a wonderful, kind, funny, nice and gentle guy. I am so
so sorry to hear that he is gone.
Please accept my condolences.
Loretta Frost, Key Colony Beach, Fl.
Lori Leder-Fogel
December 16, 2004
Dear Lorraine,
I was shocked and saddened to read that Dennis had passed away. I am so sorry that I didn't know he had been ill and didn't have the opportunity to let him know how special he was to me. I'll never forget my introduction to Dennis' famous sense of humor.. I was a new media buyer and feeling overwhelmed by all the media reps who wanted to meet me.At the time, Dennis was with WAYL. I was attending a big media luncheon and sitting with a sales rep from the competing beautiful music station. Dennis comes over and says, Hello, I'm Dennis O'Leary with WAYL. Did my friend Dave tell you about the project w're working on together? At this point Dave looks puzzled. Dennis says," yes, we're trying to get a new ordinance passed requiring all new buildings to be at least 10 floors, so people will listen to our stations longer."And then he says nice to meet you and walks away! Needless to say, out of all the reps I met that day,Dennis is the one I remembered.
I did the media buys for several of his clients and many of the political campaigns. I don't know how we survived the Derus campaign. It was the hardest job I had ever taken on and would not have done it for anyone but Dennis.Although I am a fairly liberal Democrat and we didn't see eye to eye on most things political, we always had great, respectful discussions about politics and other things. We shared many great lunches and lots of bad, corny jokes. I really valued Dennis' kindness and friendship.And of course there was the big premiere of his movie--complete with "celery stalks" for all the guests! What a hilarious night. Although Dennis worked hard for his clients, work was not the most important priority in his life.It as obvious that the most important thing in his life was you. I admired the way he took care of you and how lovingly he always spoke about you and how he really valued your relationship as something special. I hope you are comforted by memories of your time together.
Gayle Belkengren
December 15, 2004
Lorraine & Ruth-
It's certainly been a difficult couple of years, but I know Dennis & Leo are trading jokes and political analysis with each other. It sounds like Dennis was only ill for a couple weeks, and if that's true, I'm gratful he didn't linger in any pain. My thoughts and prayers are with you both, and to Leo & Dennis.
Catherine Borden
December 15, 2004
My condolences to the O'Leary family and friends. It is a great loss.
Linda Feldman
December 15, 2004
I met Dennis in 1979 when I first began my radio career. He was so kind to me and I remember many lunches and ad events when we laughed! There were many of us in those radio days that supported and helped each other. Dennis was certainly a part of that. I will always remember him as "one of the good guys". My deepest sympathies to your family.
Alan Shilepsky
December 14, 2004
I am so saddened to hear of Dennis's passing. I only first met Dennis a couple years ago, but in this brief time I came to value his advice, assistance, friendship and good humor. He always added energy and a laugh to any committee meeting or convention.
His courage and optimism in the face of adversity these last several months have been an inspiration to me and others. I valued his emails with their upbeat health reports and wise political analyses. His many friends in Senate District 58 will really miss him. I already miss those electronic messages from my friend [email protected].
Our condolences to Lorraine and the rest of Dennis's family.
Doug McMonagle
December 14, 2004
Lorraine, I was so shocked to read this in the paper. You have both mine and Bobbie's condolences. I have so many memories of Dennis; playing the Boxing game that he invented, the one or two beers he would have with me at the Irish pubs I always seemed to find as accounts back then. I remember a Christmas shopping experience with Steve Brown, Brown Steve and Doug McLeod that I laugh about often but cannot repeat here. But mostly I remember Dennis'laugh, the one where he almost loses control and couldn't stop. Dennis and I worked together twice for a total of 8 years. We were young and learning but they were the good years. Dennis will always be a fond part of my memories of those times. He was a unique and wonderful person. We wish you the best. He left you with a lot of great memories to keep his love for you a glow. The one thing everyone knew above everything else with Dennis was how much he loved you.
John Rogers
December 14, 2004
I've had the distinct pleasure of knowing Dennis since his early days in radio. We've shared many lunches, political ideals and especially laughs over the years. Dennis was a very unique person and he will be missed by all whose path he crossed.
Melanie Kremer
December 14, 2004
My deepest sympathy to the O'Leary family. Dennis was one of a kind, a man I will never forget. His stories, thoughtfulness, appreciation of strategic maneuvers were mind boggling. He often amazed me. One ounce of kindness his way was returned ten fold by him.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Melanie Kremer
Paul Seguin
December 13, 2004
A Tribute To My Friend Dennis O'Leary
Dennis Patrick O'Leary, proud of his Irish heritage and a fierce lover of family and the privileges of American freedom, was a unique human being. I do believe that all of God's children are truly unique, but I think that those who knew him would say Dennis was among the uniquest.
Dennis was my best friend in high school, where we formed a mighty "one-two" punch on the Patrick Henry chess team. We must have looked like Mutt and Jeff walking down the halls together, me short and compact, Dennis tall and gangly. After school, besides chess, Dennis and I, with many other of his friends spent endless hours playing war games of his own creation, a hobby he later turned into a small business. His strong sense of independence led him to form several other small businesses throughout his career as a genuine American entrepreneur.
Everyone who knew him learned quickly that Dennis had a zany sense of humor. It was one that he manifested from an early age. I will never forget one day in 1964 when the senior high students gathered in the Henry High auditorium (we even called the event itself an "auditorium" in those days). The occasion was a presentation by the Minneapolis Fire Department on fire safety. After they gave their standard, and no doubt commendable pitch about safe practices, they asked if there were any questions. Sitting next to me, Dennis suddenly stood up, and in his classic deadpan manner, asked of the bemused firemen: "What evidence is there that Mrs. O'Leary's cow was the responsible party for the Great Chicago Fire? I believe there has been a miscarriage of justice in that case." The whole student body was stunned until they turned and realized it was Dennis posing this teaser. Then they started roaring in laughter. The firemen never did catch on.
Probably fewer people knew of the compassion Dennis had for others. I will just mention some evidence from our high school days, for I mostly moved out of state after graduating from Henry, and saw Dennis less frequently thereafter. Although smart and talented, Dennis was definitely not a member of the "in crowd" in high school. He knew what it was to be scorned in the way that school-age kids are so talented at. He also knew several members of our class (who will remain unnamed) that were genuine subjects of ridicule because of their mental and social failings. He went out of his way to befriend them, to help them with their school work, and to do his best to coax them into joining our world to the extent they could.
Even as a youth, and long before his valiant recent struggle with the disease so many of us fear, Dennis showed me great personal courage. At heart, Dennis was really a very private person, a strong introvert like many of those high school outcasts he befriended. He overcame that introversion only with great effort, consciously making himself the jokester, the stage manager, and eventually a man with personal contacts throughout much of Minnesota's business and political world. He made himself into a true "people" person, and even made a career from it. Most would never appreciate how hard he had to work to accomplish that astonishing transformation.
I've already noted that Dennis was tall and skinny as a kid (in later years still tall, but like most of us, not nearly as skinny). Although deathly afraid of the water, he somehow agreed to let me try to teach him to swim, on a one-to-one basis. We spent a truly "trying" hour one summer day in 1965 on the south shore of Lake Calhoun with me coaching, and Dennis trying his best. There was nothing he could do, however, to overcome his specific gravity of 1.5 (all bone, a little muscle, and zero fat). He could paddle like a human windmill to no avail, he still sank like an anchoring machine. With both of us exhausted, we agreed together to move on to something more rewarding. I will never forgive the guts he showed in letting me tow him out beyond his depth, over and over again.
Some years later, during one of the periods that my wife Lynda (also one of Dennis's best friends from high school) and I returned back to Minnesota, Dennis decided to run for alderman on the North Side of Minneapolis. He asked me to serve as his campaign manager, and I agreed. We had great fun, but lost in a landslide. The year was 1973, the time of President Nixon's Watergate scandal, and Dennis was a Republican. That year the Minneapolis City Council went from having a split of 7 Republicans to 6 Democrats to a dominant 12 Democrats against only 1 Republican. We both licked our wounds and learned our lessons. Typical of his nature, Dennis later became good friends with his opponent of that year.
We often say that whenever God closes a door, he opens another. In that same losing campaign for alderman, Dennis became a winner for life. In was then he first met his bride Lorraine, his love ever after. Once in high school, Dennis and I went on a double date. His date treated him rather poorly, and he was quite hurt. Very seriously, he hummed for me then a line of the popular song (of 50 years ago) "When I Fall In Love", it will be forever, or I'll never fall in love." He said that was the way he felt and he that didn't intend to risk getting hurt again. I am so glad for Dennis (as he often told me how glad he was) that Lorraine did appear for him and he could "fall in love forever."
I was privileged to know Dennis for more than 40 years, from the time we were teenagers until this month of December in the Year of our Lord, 2004, and I have still to meet another like him. Now I must try harder.
Paul Seguin, Washington DC, 13 December 2004
Marsh Walzer
December 13, 2004
Please accept Vicki and my most sincere condolences. Dennis had sent me an email in mid-November and I tried to reply. His humor, his understanding and compassion will be missed...so will the lunches. Through various accounts and radio stations, he was always very understanding, with his humor added in. I still remember back to 1979 believe it or not when he was at WWTC and I was at WLOL AM and we would "share leads" to help each other out, and then at WAYL, we had incredible stories and memories.
Bless you and his memory.
Kristopher & Debbie Kurtzahn
December 13, 2004
Lorraine, Ruth and Family, sorry to hear about your loss. We were looking forward to hanging out with you at the end of December. Dennis and his jokes will be missed. We love you lots - Kris, Debbie and Joan.
Diane Churchill
December 13, 2004
Lorraine,
My deepest sympathy. Thank you for having someone call school. I always enjoyed visiting with Dennis when he would call you. I looked forward to his new joke for the day. He was such an uplifter!! Had he been sick? I'm not sure if I will be able to come for the reviewal or funeral though I will try. My brother is in intensive care at Abbott after a heart attack and complications on Friday night. At this point I am leaving my schedule as open as I can so I can be where I need to be. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you. Perhaps we can get together for lunch after the holidays.
SHELDON WINNIG
December 13, 2004
LORRAINE, I AM SHOCKED AND SADDENED TO HEAR OF DENNIS' PASSING. HE WAS ALWAYS A GOOD GUY TO HAVE VISIT WHEN HE CAME IN. PLEASE ACCEPT MY SYMPATHIES
SHELDON I. WINNIG
ITEN CHEV.
Kari Blair
December 13, 2004
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I had always enjoyed talking with Dennis when I would run into him at the apartment complex. He will be missed!!!
Linda & Jim Goralski
December 12, 2004
Our sincere condolences to Dennis family. We've met Dennis numerous times through his good friends, Mike/Dianne (my sister). Dennis was always engaging and delighted to share his latest jokes with us.
Our sympathies.
Linda & Jim Goralski
LOWELL BENSON
December 12, 2004
DEAR LORRAINE
IT WAS WITH EXTREME SADDNESS THAT WE
SAW THE OBIT IN THIS MORNINGS PAPER
HERE AT SOLBAKKEN WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
THIS PAST FEW WEEKS. WE HAD PICKED
UP A MESSAGE DENNIS LEFT US ON OUR
GOLDEN VALLEY PHONE ON WEDNESDAY
THE 8TH. HE WAS ANSWERING A CALL
I'D LEFT HIM THE WEEK B/4 AFTER
HE HAD SENT US A NOTE ON ALL THAT
HE HAD BEEN THRU. I WAS GOING
TO GIVE HIM A FEW MORE DAYS TO
RECOVER AND CALL HIM TODAY.
BETTY,SCOTT,TODD AND I HAVE
LOST SUCH A DEAR FRIEND OF THESE
PAST MANY YEARS ! WE EXTEND OUR
SINCERE SYMPATHY TO YOU AND YOUR
FAMILIES. IT'S STILL SO HARD TO
BELIEVE. HE TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES
IN SUCH A POWERFUL & POSITIVE WAY !
MAY GOD BLESS AND COMFORT YOU.
LOVE BETTY AND LOWELL
Mike Hannan
December 12, 2004
Dennis and I go way back to the days of him coordating monster truck displays(big foot)at Minar Ford,then to Blaine Dodge and the car giveaways,and the sports celebrities.And finally to CoonRapids Lincoln Mercury. I've had to put up with those goofy jokes for 25 years.I loved Dennis, and will miss him terribly
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