Courtesy of The Chronicle Toowoomba
Patrick (Leo) O'Leary
(1942-2001)
By MERRYL MILLER
When Leo O'Leary died in a recent machinery accident at the Foundry, Toowoomba lost an ordinary bloke -- a man whose greatest success in life came from his role as father and husband. It was Leo's "ordinariness" that was his strength, and through which his extraordinary qualities blossomed. Born on December 6, 1942, Leo was the fifth child of Bridie and Jack O'Leary. He grew up surrounded by an extended family of brothers, sisters and cousins, and completed part of his education at the Font Lee School -- where the only students were O'Learys. Leo graduated from Downlands College in 1956, and returned to "Blink Bonnie", the family farm, to work alongside his father and brother. In 1964, he married Doreen Ryan. The pair bought a farm in Nobby, where they worked the land until moving to Toowoomba in 1981. Six daughters were born to Leo and Doreen -- Leanne, Kerryn, Petrina, Narelle, Jacinta and Natalie. Narelle died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 1973. Leo always regarded his family as the true treasures in his life, and was never happier than when with them, delighting in their achievements. Leo started work as a machinist with the Foundry upon the family's move to Toowoomba, and quickly became a highly respected staff member. He readily mastered and enjoyed using the developing manufacturing technology in his job, and was an expert at the Computerised Robotics Machining Line. Leo's fellow workers at the Foundry remember him as a man of wisdom and his counsel was regularly sought. He was a role model............ with himself and accepting of everyone he met. An honest and uncomplicated man, Leo regarded everyone as equal, and loved his work, enjoying the direct involvement in production. Leo's family speak of the dry sense of humour for which he was renowned -- he loved nothing more than a laugh, and a spot of good-natured one-upmanship. Leo was a proud man, devoted to those things he cared most about in life, his family and his work. Yet he was humble, and exemplified perfectly his deeply held Christian beliefs. Leo O'Leary died on September 13, 2001. He is survived by many members of the O'Leary clan, including his wife Doreen, their five daughters, and five grandchildren.
Nun performed life's work with compassion
Nun, teacher
Born: February 28, 1919
Died: March 1, 2002
Eileen O'Sullivan travelled to the other side of the world to carry out her life's work as a nun, a job she performed with compassion, dedication and creativity. She was a talented teacher who worked in many parts of Queensland, touching the lives of all those people she met in the course of her career. Born in County Cork, Ireland, Eileen Anne was the eldest of 10 children of P.J. and Ellen O'Sullivan (nee Kenny).
All five daughters in the family grew up to become nuns, ministering in countries across the world, while the five sons all married and had families. Indicative of the talent evident in all 10 of the children, one of Eileen's younger brothers worked as a design engineer for NASA, responsible for perfecting the hatch on the rocket Apollo ll. Eileen enjoyed a happy childhood with her siblings, attending local schools before boarding at Loreto Convent in Fermoy, where she was head girl. She was particularly fond of Sundays, when the family would drive to the seaside in the horse and trap to paddle in the water. After seeing an ad in the newspaper announcing the visit of six nuns from Brisbane and meeting with them, Eileen and her sister, Mary eventually decided to join them as aspirants.
Both sisters were chosen to travel to Australia in 1939 following the outbreak of war, and following six weeks at sea, arrived in Brisbane late that year.
The Novitiate of Eileen and Mary took place at All Hallows in Brisbane, after which they had one full year as postulants. On January 18, 1943, they were received as brides of Christ into the congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, before being dispersed to various convents in the Brisbane and Toowoomba dioceses' after serving their canonical year. Sister Eileen taught in many high schools, including Southport, Ipswich, Sandgate, Bundaberg, Stanthorpe, Wynnum, and Toowoomba. She showed a particular flair in teaching young boys, and was way ahead of her time in evangelisation, sending home to Ireland for pictures which would best help deliver her message. At one school, Sister Eileen taught the boys copper tooling, just one of her many creative talents. She was an extremely artistic person, excelling in calligraphy and knitting, and involved in the production of high-quality school magazines. Most of her skills were self-taught. Many remember Sister Eileen's boundless energy, which at one stage saw her as principal at a school in Roma, teaching 13 subjects, as well as holding down the post of Superior of the Convent. She always found the time for the Sisters under her care however, even managing to spoil them on occasion.
Sister Eileen never forgot the names or faces of her many former pupils, and the members of her first Junior Class in St Saviour's Convent in Toowoomba were proud to include her in their monthly get-togethers. While unable to attend the 120th foundation anniversary celebration for the Roma Convent, students honoured her significant involvement by presenting her with a large photo of a painting of the convent. A trip home to Ireland in 1993 with her sister Cecelia, also working as a nun in Australia, was a delightful opportunity to renew acquaintances with her family. While it was not possible to round all 10 siblings up from far flung corners of the world, it was a special trip. She remained in close contact with her relatives through entertaining and newsy letter-writing throughout her whole life. Following retirement to All Hallows Convent in 1990, Sister Eileen taught English to migrants, and continued a ministry of visitation and letter writing which kept her in touch with many of her past pupils. She lived in Emmaus, in Brisbane, after 1995, where failing health severely curtailed her activities. Aged 83 when she died, Sister Eileen is survived by three brothers, and her four sisters. - by Merryl Miller.
Published in "The Chronicle," Toowoomba March 27, 2002.
Sister a scholar to the day she died
Born: April 14, 1906
Died: June 12, 2002
Sister Kathleen O’Mara did not waste a single day of her life. A scholar to the day she died, Sister Kathleen was still surfing the net and winning bowling trophies at the age of 96.
Born in Toowoomba, Kathleen Veronica O'Mara was the eldest of seven children to Catherine (nee O'Brien) and James. Both of Kathleen's parents were natives of Ireland, and left their homeland during the years of the potato famine to establish new lives in Australia. Kathleen grew up on the family property at Jondaryan, attending the Greenwood State School near Acland. She was an extremely bright child, and was encouraged by her parents in her intellectual endeavours.
The attitude in the O'Mara home was that women could do anything, which in the early 1900s was quite progressive thinking. Kathleen completed her scholarship year aged only 15, and began work as a teacher at St Monica's School in Oakey, run by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. In 1924, Kathleen decided to enter the Good Samaritan Novitiate, and moved to Randwick in Sydney. She was given the name Martina, and made her first profession at Balmain on January 8, 1927. From 1927 until 1934, Sister Kathleen taught at four schools in New South Wales, before moving back to Queensland to teach for 10 years. During these years, she worked in schools in Brisbane and Charters Towers.
Returning to New South Wales in 1946, Sister Kathleen taught in Coffs Harbour, Nowra, and Rozelle, before again being called back to her home State. Sister Kathleen was employed by schools in Brisbane and Toowoomba from 1965 until her retirement from teaching in 1983. Many students remember her time at the Mater Dei, Oakey, Clifton, and Harlaxton schools, serving as principal at this last establishment. Never using the cane, Sister Kathleen was able to win over her students with intellect, fairness, and quiet humour.
In the years following her teaching career, Sister Kathleen was engaged in visitation in the Enoggera parish, Brisbane, before retiring to the community for retired sisters at Wynnum West in 1993. Retirement was a busy period in the life of Sister Kathleen. She pursued her interest in world affairs, able to discuss every topic from football to politics. She spent time brushing up on her already impressive computer skills, and particularly enjoyed surfing the net. Sister Kathleen was still tutoring mature-age students at the age of 92, two of whom graduated from university with honours. She also developed a love for indoor bowling, becoming a talented player and winning many trophies. Towards the end of her life, Sister Kathleen became fascinated with astronomy, and was busy researching the subject. Sister Kathleen moved to The Pines Hostel at Carseldine in 1995, before being transferred to the Holy Spirit Nursing Home in 1997. She died in Brisbane aged 96, the last remaining member of her immediate family, and was buried at the Nudgee Cemetery.
Published in “The Chronicle”, Toowoomba, 19th July, 2002.
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