Patrick Jerome O'Leary

1941-2026

Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Patrick Jerome O'Leary, of Forest Park, died Tuesday, February 25, 2026. He was 84.

Born on April 8, 1941, in Manila, Philippine Islands, he was the second son, and second child of the late Humphrey Patrick O'Leary, Jr., and Leonore O'Leary (nee Moreno-Salcedo). Educated by the Christian Brothers at De La Salle College in Manila, O'Leary was a high school and college athlete, trying every sport at least once. He found the most joy—and success—in track and field, working his way up from middle distance to sprints, as well as throwing shot put and discuss. After finishing college in 1964, he married Amparo “Chiqui” Ferreira in August, before enlisting in the United States Army. Twenty-six years and a tour of Vietnam later, O'Leary retired from Ft. McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia, as a Command Sergeant Major in 1991. He continued working for the Department of the Army on base at Ft. McPherson (Atlanta, Georgia) until 1998. He remained active in the greater military community as a member of the Georgia State Defense Force from 2000-2021, and participated in the Morrow Police Citizen Police Academy. He and his wife were active members of the Forest Park Senior Center for many years, and enjoyed participating in the Senior Olympics in the mid-2000s. He enjoyed in getting back on the track, picking up where he left off in shot put and discus, though he no longer was able to take up the distances he excelled at as a teen.

O'Leary was preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers, Dennis and James. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Chiqui O'Leary along with their four adult children and their spouses: Sean and his wife, Crissy (Fairfield, California), Patrick and his wife, Laura Metelovski (Tucson, Arizona), Jacqueline Mihlfeld and her husband, Kevin (Virginia), and Brigid and her husband, David Couture (Fredericksburg, Virginia). He leaves behind six grandchildren, who will greatly miss their Lolo: Levi Pallinger, Mitchell O'Leary, Nico Covert, Ian Covert, Warrick Couture and Anne Couture. He is also survived by his sisters, Maureen Orozco (California), Juel Van Blarcom (Hawaii), brother, Humphrey O'Leary III (Manila, Philippine Islands), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins around the world.