Grace O'Leary

Grace A. O’Leary, beloved wife, cherished friend, and devoted educator, passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in San Jose, California.

Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, Grace lived a life of compassion, service, and quiet strength. After graduating high school in 1960, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University in 1963, where she was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in recognition of her academic excellence. She married the love of her life, Richard Patrick O’Leary, on June 20, 1964, in Davenport, Iowa.

Grace and Dick began their life together in Batavia, New York, where she started her teaching career. In 1970, they moved to San Jose, California, where she completed a Master of Arts in Secondary Education at the University of San Francisco in 1973. Grace taught for many years in the Milpitas School District, where she shaped the lives of countless students.

She was an active member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for 61 years, working passionately to support scholarships for women and promote gender equality. Grace also volunteered with Sacred Heart Community Service, Project Linus, Holy Spirit Church, and the California Retired Teachers Association.

Grace’s life was a testament to kindness, resilience, and generosity. She was deeply committed to her family and community, and her warmth and thoughtful nature left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She had a ready laugh, quiet strength, and an open heart. Grace taught not only in the classroom, but through the way she lived her life. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard; her parents, William and Dorothy; her sisters, Mary Jean and Evelyn; and her brother, David.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Davenport, with visitation at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arthritis Foundation or AAUW – San Jose.

Online remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.