Thomas O'Leary

Thomas O'Leary of Saratoga, Wyo., passed away peacefully on April 28, 2009 at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Calif. The son of Arthur J. and Eleanor Howard O'Leary of New York City, was born on March 19, 1934. After graduating from Holy Cross College he joined the US Marine Corps in 1955 and served as an aviator, achieving the rank of Captain. In 1961 he received an MBA from the Wharton School of Finance. In 1965 he joined the Missouri Pacific Corporation as Assistant Treasurer and by 1974 was elected President and CEO of the Missouri Pacific subsidiaries, as well as of the parent company. He joined Burlington Northern, Inc. in Seattle in 1982 as Vice Chairman and was Director from 1982 to 1992. Mr. O'Leary was elected President and CEO of Burlington Resources, Inc. in 1989 and retired 1997. He was also director of The Kroger Company and B.F. Goodrich. Mr. O'Leary is survived by his wife, Cheryl Westrum O' Leary; five of his six children by his previous marriage, Timothy M., Thomas H. Jr., Denis A., Daniel G., Mary Frances; and by his sister, Susan. His eldest son, Mark E. passed away in March of this year. The funeral Mass will be held on Tues May 5, 2009 at Ann's Church, Saratoga, Wyo., followed by burial in the Saratoga Cemetery. Memorial Masses are scheduled at 11:00 AM Thurs. May 7, 2009 at Sacred Heart Church, Palm Desert, Calif., and 10:00 AM on Fri. May 15, 2009 at Annunziata Catholic Church, St. Louis, MO. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., the Wyoming Stock Grower's Agricultural Land Trust, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Rescue Me Dog, Saratoga, Wyo.