Alan \u201cDean\u201d O\u2019Leary left this world to join his loving wife Darlene in God\u2019s grace during the early morning hours on December 24. He died peacefully after a very courageous and lengthy battle with Parkinson\u2019s and Dementia. <\/p>\n
Dean was born to Hugh and Altha O\u2019Leary on May 6th 1929 in Donna Texas. He was one of (11) children born to Hugh and Altha. Dean spent his childhood in Texas during the Great Depression. He and the large O\u2019Leary family lived on numerous family ranches in Texas and Oklahoma moving often, picking cotton and fruit. In 1940, Dean and his family lived in a Government Migratory camp outside Donna Texas where he attended the 5th grade. <\/p>\n
During the following years, one of Dean\u2019s favorite places to live and work was a ranch in Muleshoe, Texas owned by his Uncle and Aunt, Woodrow and Sylvia Couch. Dean\u2019s lifelong passion for ranching, horses and hard work took root during his time at the Couch ranch. <\/p>\n
In March of 1945, at age 16, Dean and the large O\u2019Leary family loaded their few family possessions and 9 children into a 1940\u2019s model T pickup truck and headed for Montana. Dean lived and worked on several family ranches near Butte. He landed his first indoor job at the American Candy Store in Butte and began attending the Butte Business College prior to graduating from High School. In the summer of 1946 the family moved to a small house 2 miles up Clancy Creek, near Helena. Dean worked at Woolworths while attending Helena High School, determined to finish his high School education. <\/p>\n
In 1947 he landed a position as Supply Clerk at the Montana National Guard Armory. He immediately joined the Guard and began his proud 40 year career as a Montana Army National Guardsman retiring in 1984. <\/p>\n
Dean and his brother\u2019s David, Francis Hugh (Tex), Avery (Red), Earl (Coconut) and Carroll Daniel (Curly) began a legendary career as boxers shortly after coming to Montana. The O\u2019Leary brothers were known throughout the state as the \u201cFighting O\u2019Leary\u2019s.\u201d The highlight of Dean\u2019s boxing career came when he fought and won the battle for state championship against his big brother David. <\/p>\n
In 1951, Dean married Beverly Gibson. Their son, Alan Dean O\u2019Leary II (Lanny) was born in 1952. Dean and Beverly divorced shortly thereafter. In 1954 Dean met the love of his life, Darlene Haley (Graham) they married December 1, 1956. Together they raised Lanny and three additional children, Colleen, Scott and Doug. <\/p>\n
Dean\u2019s love of ranching and owning a ranch came true in July 1965 when he and Darlene purchased a small ranch in Austin, 15 miles west of Helena. Dean spent his entire adult life dedicated to working on the small ranch, serving as a proud member of the Montana National Guard and teaching his children the value of hard work and the joy of ranching. Dean\u2019s legacy will live on through his four children who continue to own, preserve and work the small Montana ranch. <\/p>\n
Dean is preceded in death by his wife Darlene, his parents, brother\u2019s Tex, David and infant brother Darrel. Dean is survived by his children; Lanny of Helena, Colleen (Mike) McCarthy of Austin, Scott (Theresa) of Butte, and Doug of Houston. He leaves behind grandchildren and great grandchildren: Teresa (Tim) Ellis of Whitehall and their children Jeremy, Stephen and Stephanie; Sean and Kevin McCarthy; Katie; Brian, Brad and Amy O\u2019Leary. Also surviving are his brothers Red, Coconut, and Curly O\u2019Leary; sisters, Mary Isaacson, Jimmie (Troy) McGee, Jeannette (Dan) Mougeot, Sherry Blackhall and Esther Duthie; and very special in-laws; Lorna (Tom) Johns and Dennis (Miriam) Haley and numerous nieces and nephews. <\/p>\n
The family will receive friends between the hours of 4-6pm on Wednesday Dec 29 at Anderson, Stevenson, Wilke Funeral Home. Cremation will follow. A celebration of Dean\u2019s life will be held on Thursday Dec 30 at 11:00 am at Anderson, Stevenson, Wilke Funeral Home. A portion of Dean\u2019s remains will be interred at Forestvale Cemetery with full military honors immediately following the service. A celebration of Dean\u2019s life will take place in Irish tradition at 7332 Austin Rd, after interment. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to the Montana Military Museum, P.O. Box 125, Fort Harrison, MT 59636-0125. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.aswfuneralhome.com.<\/p>\n","photo":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/295980_profile_pic.jpg","youtube_video_url":"","family_email":"","family_first_name":"","family_last_name":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case\/720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}