It looks like you are viewing this on a mobile device. Would you like to use the mobile version? No thanks.
It looks like your device can support the full version of the site. Would you like to view that instead? No thanks.
Email to a friend Tweet This Send to Facebook Share on Google+
  Login
Martin O'Leary
October 18, 1926 - April 17, 2016
Return to the Memorial Getting Started Administration Inbox  
Return to Getting Started  
Return to the Memorial Help Extend the Memorial Order a Keepsake Book  
Obituary Eulogy Guestbook Biography Photos Media Life Stories Family Tree Contribute
<div itemprop="description"><br /><br />A loving husband, father and grandfather who lived a life graced by deep<br /><br />faith and abundant good humour, Martin James O'Leary died peacefully at the<br /><br />Houses of Providence in Scarborough, Ontario on April 17, 2016 in his 90th year. He<br /><br />was the beloved husband for 65 years of Noreen (nee Frechette); loving father<br /><br />and role model to John (Lynn), Paul (Anna), Jim (Bev), Kathy Byles (Dan), Dan,<br /><br />Marty (deceased, 1986), Greg (Cathy) and Anne Marie Switzer (Ed). <br /><br />Martin was a proud grandfather to 19 wonderful children/adults. Matthew,<br /><br />Meghan, Brad, Aidan, Jennifer, Joe, Kevin, Michael, Sandra, David, Erin, Andrew,<br /><br />Mark, Sean, Martin, Samantha, Conor, Evin and Aveeva. Last year Martin became a<br /><br />great-grandfather (Sawyer) and was awaiting the arrival of a second<br /><br />great-grandchild in June. He had almost five dozen nieces and nephews and countless friends.<br /><br />His sister Joan Tiernay and her husband Joe will miss Martin greatly. <br /><br />Martin was born in Toronto in 1926 to Mary and James O'Leary. He grew up on<br /><br />&quot;the Danforth&quot; and lived above the family grocery store, with his older brother <br /><br />William (Fr. Bill O'Leary, deceased) and sisters Rita (Jack) Brehl<br /><br />(deceased) and Joan (Joe) Tiernay. He forged life-long friendships dating back to high <br /><br />school and the CYO at Holy Name parish. <br /><br />After graduating high school from St. Michael's, he obtained a B.A. in 1948<br /><br />from St. Michael&rsquo;s College at the University of Toronto and became a school<br /><br />teacher for a short time before entering a life-long career in banking (Toronto<br /><br />General Trust, Canada Permanent Trust, Canada Trust and TD-Canada Trust), retiring<br /><br />in 1988. <br /><br />Martin married the love of his life in 1950 and soon afterwards he and<br /><br />Noreen bought a three-bedroom home in East York. He was an active parishioner at<br /><br />Holy Cross parish, until the eighth child arrived and he moved the family circus<br /><br />to Scarborough in 1967, where he was an active member at St. Boniface parish<br /><br />for almost 50 years.<br /><br />He always placed Noreen and family first, ahead of even the Maple Leafs,<br /><br />Blue Jays and Argonauts. Obviously, he was a patient and forgiving man. He was <br /><br />renowned for his quick wit and an impish sense of humour that was always <br /><br />accompanied with a tell-tale twinkle in his eyes. <br /><br />He followed most sports and was an accomplished bowler and curler. He<br /><br />enjoyed explaining the difference between an in-turn and out-turn to whomever<br /><br />joined him for whatever curling bonspiel was on television. He liked his beer cold and<br /><br />his scotch with just a drop of water. Playing cards was another favourite<br /><br />pastime. From boys-night poker, to bridge-club night, to euchre to cribbage, he<br /><br />pocketed more than his share of other people's dimes and quarters. <br /><br />A highlight of family celebrations was watching Martin take Noreen by the<br /><br />hand and, to the big-band sound of &quot;In the Mood&quot;, show the younger generation<br /><br />how to swing on the dance floor. Even after 65 years of marriage, he continued to <br /><br />affectionately refer to Noreen as &ldquo;my bride.&rdquo; Family meals were important<br /><br />to him, particularly Sunday dinner, where, as the family grew, he learned to<br /><br />carve a large roast into thin slices. He was also handy on the barbecue and, as<br /><br />his eyes filled with smoke from a grill crammed with burgers, he never (well, <br /><br />seldom) cursed in front of his children.<br /><br />Martin and Noreen collected countless friends over the years, from<br /><br />neighbours who moved away but remained close to fellow travellers they met on several <br /><br />extended vacations. Their Christmas Card list was always extensive. His<br /><br />many relatives and friends knew him as a man who was fun-filled, loyal and <br /><br />dependable.<br /><br />Most of all Martin will be remembered as a loving husband and a family man<br /><br />of great faith and generous nature who loved to make people smile. He will be <br /><br />dearly missed by all who were fortunate enough to smile along with him.<br /><br />Special thanks to the dedicated staff and volunteers at Providence<br /><br />Healthcare for the wonderful care they provided over the past two years. <br /><br />Friends may call at the McDougall &amp; Brown Funeral Home, 2900 Kingston Rd, <br /><br />Scarborough, on Wednesday and Thursday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. both<br /><br />days. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface<br /><br />Catholic Church, 142 Markham Road Scarborough, ON M1M 2H9, with a reception to<br /><br />follow.In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to one of Martin&rsquo;s<br /><br />favourite charities: the St. Vincent de Paul Society (care of St Boniface Church,<br /><br />address above) or Providence Healthcare, 3276 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, ON<br /><br />M1L 1W1.<br /><br /></div>