Osage County, Oklahoma, Obituary:  Lewis Edward O'Leary

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
The Hominy News - Progress
P.O. Box 38, Hominy, Okla 74035
Transcribed by Sharon Hamilton: sharkay@cccexpress.com
Return to Osage County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/osage/osage.htm
=====================================================================
                          USGENWEB NOTICE
                  Copyright.  All rights reserved.
             http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm       
=====================================================================
::IOOF Cemetery--Ponca City OK
The Hominy News - Progress
Vol. 30, No. 13
Wednesday, March 28, 2001
Page 5

Lewis Edward O'Leary
(Photo)

Lewis Edward O'Leary was born September 6, 1917 at St. Francis, Kansas to 
Francis "Frank" O'Leary and Mary Tongish O'Leary.  He died March 22, 2001 
at the age of 83.

One of five children, Lewis attended country school District 25 through 
the eighth grade.  He then worked on various farms to support the family 
during the Great Depression.

In 1942, he entered the U. S. Army during World War II and served in the 
European Theater for two years; then the Pacific Theater and occupation of 
Japan until his honorable discharge in 1946 with the rank of Staff 
Sergeant.

He was the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, 
Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern services 
Medal and American Service Medal.

While in the European Theater, he married Marjorie Hamilton Bell on June 16, 
1945 in Larne, Northern Ireland.  They were married for 31 years until her 
death in 1976.

After the war, Lewis was a cattle rancher in Colorado until 1957, when he 
moved the family to a ranch near Uncas, Oklahoma.  In 1959, the family 
moved to Newkirk, Oklahoma, where he worked at the Champlin service station 
for eleven years; managed the Dairy Queen for four years and was the chief 
of maintenance of the Kay County Courthouse for eight years until his 
retirement in 1982 at the age of 65.

Following his retirement, Lewis continued to work part-time in the 
restaurant business until shortly before his death.

He is survived by his children:  Major Charles O'Leary and wife, Nancy of 
Hominy, Oklahoma; Lyle O'Leary and wife, Irene of Katy, Texas; and 
Catherine O'Leary and husband, Robert Poone of Tulsa, Oklahoma.  
Grandchildren include Susan, Diane and Barbara of Hominy, Oklahoma; Daniel, 
Ryan and Andrew of Katy, Texas; sisters Helen Mills of Arvada, Colorado 
and Frances Mager of Littleton Colorado; brothers Lloyd O'Leary of 
Chicopee, Massachusetts and Claude O'Leary of Van Nuys, California.

He was a member of the American Legion Otto G. Abbot Post #165 and the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #15037.

A lifelong Roman Catholic, Lewis was a member of the St. Francis of Assisi 
Catholic Church in Newkirk for more than forty years.

Rosary was on Sunday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Grace Memorial Chapel in 
Ponca City, Oklahoma.  Requiem Mass was on Monday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. 
at St. Francis Catholic Church, 610 W. 9th, Newkirk, Oklahoma.  Interment 
was at Odd Fellows Cemetery, Ponca City, Oklahoma.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catholic Charities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Return to Osage County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/osage/osage.htm