Mrs. Mary O'Leary

Mary Jane O'Leary, Ph.D., 85, passed away in the company of her loving children on April 24, 2014, at her home in Overland Park, KS. She was born in Lapeer, MI, June 16, 1928. She spent her early years in Detroit, earning a BA in piano from Marygrove College. While studying piano at University of Michigan, she met Franklin Hayes O'Leary and in 1950 they married, moving to Leawood and later, Prairie Village. While raising seven children, she earned a PhD in counseling psychology and worked with Catholic Charities of Lenexa. Mary Jane continued her love of music as church organist for Cure of Ars and Sacred Heart Catholic churches. She was an avid reader, swimmer, sailor and master gardener. She loved filling her swimming pool with splashing children and grandchildren and directing water aerobics. Her children loved to say she was 'a 1950's housewife with a Ph.D.' She is preceded in death by her father, Charles Kelly, mother, Mary Ellen, stepmother, Daryl, and brother, John Kelly. She is survived by Franklin, her loving husband of 63 years; brothers Bob (Ann) and Dan (Rosemary) Kelly; and sister-in-law Margaret Kelly; sisters-in-law Dolores (Bob) and Laurelle; and her children, Mary Ellen, Jim (Anne), Rosie (Larry), Molly (Frank), Eileen (Doug), Kathleen (Scott) and Amy (John); and grandchildren Zoey, Leanne, Nate, Meghan, Erin, Emily, Katie, Ryan, John, Kelly, Calvin, Grace, Sarah, Thomas, and Julia; great-grandchildren Moira and Henry. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mary Jane's name to Catholic Charities of Kansas City, KS, KCUR-FM public radio, or KCPT public television. Visitation will be Sunday, April 27, 3-5pm at D.W. Newcomer's Sons, 112th & Metcalf. Funeral is Monday April 28, 10 a.m., Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 103rd & Quivira. Burial is at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd & Quivira.

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