Michael Joseph O'Leary

Mike was born on August 27, 1945, the son of the late Michael J. O’Leary and Florence McBreen O’Leary. Mike, the second child of five, grew up in post-war Levittown, NY, and Old Bethpage, Long Island, New York. He was an altar server in the Catholic Church and was a youth member of the Civil Air Patrol. Mike attended Chaminade High School, where he met and became friends with Dennis Breen, the older brother of Kathy. Mike was drawn to the warm, bustling Breen household, where Marion and Dennis Breen, his future in-laws, frequently welcomed him into their busy home filled with nine children. After high school, Mike and Dennis, who remained very good friends, commuted from Long Island into the Bronx to Fordham University. During the Fordham years, Mike and Kathy fell in love and married. Mike graduated from Fordham in 1967 with a degree in Finance and joined a Wall Street investment firm. It was the beginning of a long career in finance, where Mike’s ultimate calling was to help manage money for and provide advice to those entrusted with managing other people’s pensions. Mike worked on Wall Street for a few years and then he and Kathy and their young family moved to Hartford, CT where he joined the trust department of a bank. While working in Hartford, Mike successfully passed the exams to earn the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst. In 1982, Mike and Kathy moved to the Chicago area where Mike joined Continental Bank of Illinois as a Vice President. Later, Mike left banking to become a consultant with Callan Associates where his reputation as a trusted advisor to institutional investors and pension plan trustees grew. In 1988, Mike and Kathy and their family moved to Colorado. During this time, Mike was asked to open a Denver office of Callan Associates and manage it. As a consultant, Mike was a “road warrior,” traveling weekly to meet with clients throughout the western states and Alaska. As Mike neared the end of his career, he was recognized by industry publications as “Advisor of the Year” or as the recipient of their “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his service to his clients. He was also honored by the Alaska State Legislature for his extraordinary service to present and future generations of Alaskans for over two decades of work done on behalf of their pension and permanent funds.

Despite his heavy workload and travel requirements, Mike embraced the role of father and role model. He and Kathy encouraged their children to be involved in sports, civic and Church organizations. Mike and Kathy were active volunteers in their children’s endeavors. Mike’s love of youth sports and community service would continue throughout his life. Mike was a baseball coach, a soccer referee, a hockey coach, a commissioner of the local Little League organization, a Cub Scout leader, and an active volunteer in his communities. He assisted with his grandchildren’s organizations and later in life served in various ministries in his church. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Mead.

Outside of his work and family, Mike had three great passions. He was a voracious reader. In addition to reading professional journals and research, he loved spy novels of the Tom Clancy genre. He was always reading. More than once he would purchase a paperback before a flight, only to realize later he had already read the hardback version. Mike loved music. In the 70’s he listened to folk music. Sunday afternoons the house was filled with songs by John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel, and Judy Collins. Later, his tastes evolved toward Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson. Mike was also a passionate landscaper. Despite having the means to hire a contractor, he meticulously cared for his lawn. Most weekends he spent countless hours mowing, weeding, spraying, edging, and fertilizing. This was not a small task during the years they lived on 2+ acres in Mead, CO.

Mike is survived by his wife Kathy, and four of their children, Michael (Mary Virginia “Mimi”) O’Leary, Sean (Krista) O’Leary, Suzanne (Matthew) Donohoe, and James (Shannon) O’Leary, and twelve grandchildren–Joe, Mary Kate and Jack O’Leary (parents-Michael and Mimi), Kalenn, Sean and Charlie O’Leary (parents Sean and Krista), Mae, Annie and Emmet Donohoe (parents Suzanne and Matt) and Jordan Lockner, Kellen and Reilly O’Leary (parents James and Shannon). He is also survived by a large extended family, including over forty nieces and nephews, two dozen in-laws, his brother Conall O’Leary, sister Maureen O’Leary-Farr, brother Peter O’Leary, and brother Daniel (Diane) O’Leary. Mike was preceded in death by his beloved son Edward Thomas (Teddy) O’Leary.

Visitation will be held at Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman St, Longmont on Tuesday, April 19 from 2pm to 4:00 pm and from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, immediately followed by a rosary service beginning at 8:30pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 109 3rd St, Mead, CO on Wednesday April 20 at 9:30am. Following Mass, Mike will be laid to rest at the Mountain View Cemetery in Longmont near the resting place of his son Teddy. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mike’s honor can be made to the American Heart Association or the Alzheimer's Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the O'Leary family.