William O'Leary at a pub in Tralee,
Ireland, in August. He was a native
Washingtonian. (Family Photo)
Ireland, in August. He was a native
Washingtonian. (Family Photo)
| William P. O'Leary |
Friday, January 18, 2008
William Patrick O'Leary Sr., 81, a former public information official at NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center, died of congestive heart failure Jan. 14 at Montgomery General Hospital. He lived
in Highland, in Howard County. Mr. O'Leary's specialty was making visitors feel welcome and
educating them about the space program. He served as liaison to presidents, heads of state
and celebrities, as well as to tourists and many others. He gave tours to many prominent
figures, including the cast of the TV series "Star Trek." He also guided the 1976 creation of
Goddard's visitor center.
Flight Center, died of congestive heart failure Jan. 14 at Montgomery General Hospital. He lived
in Highland, in Howard County. Mr. O'Leary's specialty was making visitors feel welcome and
educating them about the space program. He served as liaison to presidents, heads of state
and celebrities, as well as to tourists and many others. He gave tours to many prominent
figures, including the cast of the TV series "Star Trek." He also guided the 1976 creation of
Goddard's visitor center.
During President Jimmy Carter's inaugural parade, he portrayed an astronaut on the NASA float.
He retired from NASA in 1985.
He retired from NASA in 1985.
A native Washingtonian, Mr. O'Leary grew up in the Brookland neighborhood and graduated
from Gonzaga College High School in 1944. He served in the Army Air Forces in Guam and the
U.S. mainland during World War II. After the war, he graduated from Georgetown University,
where he was on a baseball scholarship as a left-handed first baseman.
from Gonzaga College High School in 1944. He served in the Army Air Forces in Guam and the
U.S. mainland during World War II. After the war, he graduated from Georgetown University,
where he was on a baseball scholarship as a left-handed first baseman.
He worked for the CIA for 10 years, taught at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Wheaton for a year and joined NASA in 1962.
A lifelong athlete, coach and sports enthusiast, he excelled in baseball and golf. He won trophies with one of his sons in numerous
amateur golf tournaments.
amateur golf tournaments.
An outdoorsman who took his family on annual camping trips, Mr. O'Leary bought farmland in Howard in the 1960s and built a family
homestead, which he called Scartaglen after his ancestral village in Ireland. He and family members made several visits to Ireland.
homestead, which he called Scartaglen after his ancestral village in Ireland. He and family members made several visits to Ireland.
Mr. O'Leary was past president of his high school alumni class and was active in alumni functions. He also played the trumpet, acted in
amateur films and enjoyed music, movies, comedy and photography. He built a home darkroom for photo projects with his son, Bill, a
Washington Post photographer who lives in Silver Spring.
amateur films and enjoyed music, movies, comedy and photography. He built a home darkroom for photo projects with his son, Bill, a
Washington Post photographer who lives in Silver Spring.
In addition to that son, survivors include his wife of 54 years, Sarah Manning O'Leary of Highland; five other children, James O'Leary of
Sykesville, Patrick O'Leary of Bethesda, Kathleen O'Leary of Woodbine, Ellen Wilkinson of Sykesville and Jane O'Leary of Ellicott City; a
brother, Joseph O'Leary of Silver Spring; and six grandchildren.
Sykesville, Patrick O'Leary of Bethesda, Kathleen O'Leary of Woodbine, Ellen Wilkinson of Sykesville and Jane O'Leary of Ellicott City; a
brother, Joseph O'Leary of Silver Spring; and six grandchildren.
-- Patricia Sullivan