Gail M. O'Leary

Gail Mabel Cooper O’Leary, 82, of Atlanta, GA, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on December 5, 2024, after a long illness. She was born December 12, 1941, in Brooklyn, NY, to the late Dorothy and Glenn Cooper. She grew up in Brooklyn and then moved to Garden City, Long Island, NY. A graduate of Garden City High School in 1959, Gail attended Elmira College in upstate New York, where she earned her B.S. in Elementary Education and Philosophy in 1963.

Gail started her teaching career in Boston, where she taught fifth grade in a public elementary school. She soon met the love of her life there, her husband Robert Cabery O’Leary, on a blind date and married him on April 16,1966. They raised three children while relocating many times around Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York with Bob’s long career with General Electric. With every move, Gail re-established a loving, welcoming home full of fun and adventure, and she made lifelong friendships while playing sports and befriending neighbors, strangers, and anyone who liked to talk. She never missed a phone call, “It might be an invitation!”

In 1982, Bob left GE and New England to join Cox Cable Communications in Atlanta, and the family headed to the beautiful South where they have lived for more than 40 years. They helped start the parish of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Roswell, GA, and later joined Holy Spirit Catholic Church when they moved to Buckhead. Gail loved being a mother and shepherded her children to endless sporting events. She was also a natural athlete herself, playing ALTA tennis and golf at Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, FL, and Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Tequesta, FL, for many years. She volunteered at Festival of Trees for two decades and supported Autism Speaks, founded by her good friends. In all, Gail was known and adored by all for her endless zest for life, her love of socializing and making friends, her sweet, selfless spirit, and her sense of humor.

She was a voracious reader and lifelong learner and enjoyed many book clubs as well as an investment club; she loved traveling and needlepointing; she loved hosting family and friends at her Lake Burton, GA, lakehouse and her Jupiter, FL, home on the golf course. She did not enjoy skiing but planned numerous ski vacations for her family during which she tried to figure out how to get back into the lodge as soon as possible. She giggled often, and her texts had numerous exclamation points. Gail adored her friends. She loved faces around the dinner table and long after-dinner discussions. Gail disliked chores and was not one to obey rules – “Boring!” As fantastic a wife and mother and friend as she was, her favorite role was “Gigi” to her five grandchildren, with whom she connected on every level; she loved getting into good trouble with them and saying, “You got it, baby!” to every request.

Gail’s ministry here was the force of her love. A great light has gone out in all of our lives.

Gail was preceded in death by her grandson, Cooper Taylor. She is survived by Bob, her devoted husband of 58 years; daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Haynes Taylor; son Robert O’Leary, Jr; son Glenn O’Leary; four grandchildren, Cabery Taylor, Liam O’Leary, Daniela O’Leary, and Maia O’Leary; Noelle O’Leary; sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Patrick Curran; niece Katie Kelly and husband Tom and their children Ashlyn and Abbey; and nephew Kevin Curran and wife Jessica. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones in the extended O’Leary and Penny families.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude for all the caregivers and hospice workers who provided excellent and compassionate care for Gail and the family.

There will be a private family interment at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Atlanta, GA, and a private celebration of Gail’s life in 2025. Donations may be made in Gail’s memory to Elmira College https://www.elmira.edu/support-elmira/give-now, Autism Speaks https://www.autismspeaks.org/?form=donate, and The Center for Discovery https://thecenterfordiscovery.org/donate.