Joan O'Leary, 90, a long-time resident of Mt. Marion passed away on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at her home.
Joan was born December 7, 1930 in the Bronx and was one of 9 children of Colonel William and Elizabeth Stonebridge. Joan married her husband Richard on April 9, 1950 in Maspeth, Queens and they celebrated 63 years together before Richard's passing in 2013. They then moved to the Saugerties area and buying their home in Mt. Marion Park. It is this home that Joan raised her 4 children, Gary, Joanne, Brian, and Lauren.
Throughout her life, Joan always had more than one job and did them all well and with great pride. She was Mother, wife, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Cook, Seamstress, nurse, educator, housekeeper, tutor, and most important a wonderful friend.
Joan loved to make her children laugh. In the late 1960's Joan was known to dance while vacuuming to her eldest son's records. Some of her favorites were Blood, Sweat, and Tears or Chicago.
After her children were getting older, Joan took a job in the Saugerties School System as an aide and loved the job so much she stayed for more than 20 years. When she saw a need for change, Joan was instrumental in working with Dan Lee in getting the aides unionized and pensions which they have to this day. Yet, the greatest joy was seeing "her children" and helping them excel whether it be their remedial reading aide or just being their advocate and best friend. She was loved by all her colleagues including Patti Nieffer, Claire Gelo, Joan Woodward, Dee Parisi, Patti Lasher, and she loved her principal, Tony Manley! Joan retired in 1982 but never stopped working.
Joan had many achievements but one of her greatest was a young child named Jason Zhang who arrived from China. He had Joan's heart from the moment they met, and they have remained very close through the years, and Jason is considered a member of Joan's family.
Following the Saugerties School System, Joan took a job at Adam's Fairacre Farms in Kingston and loved working there meeting people and enjoying her colleagues. The joy for Joan was walking through Adam's after leaving her job and being able to chat with her former colleagues and being acknowledged by her former managers.
Joan loved to travel, and to San Francisco to visit her children Joanne and Brian. These trips always involved side trips to Lake Tahoe, Carmel, Napa, Yosemite, Los Angeles, and San Diego. She loved the wineries and one of her favorite pictures was of her and comedian Pat Paulson.
Joan's travels took her abroad to Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and the island of Capri where she spent her 57th wedding anniversary with her husband Richard. On her first trip to Ireland and walking through Killarney, Joan saw that the real estate agents name was "J O'Leary", and that the silversmith was named "B. O'Leary". She quickly made friends. While in Italy, Joan could be seen walking around Florence determined to find a nice tee shirt with gold on it to match her jacket for dinner that night. One of the most memorable was in the Gondola on the Grand Canal in Venice with all the friends she met, and her husband Richard instructing the gondolier to stop at which Richard sang the same song to mom the night he proposed to her more than 57 years earlier. Then later that evening being cheered by the whole travel group at a hilltop restaurant in Sorrento.
One of Joan's greatest joys in travel was to Guatamala to pick up her new grandson Ari.
Joan was member of St. John the Evangelist for more than 40 years and was a Eucharistic Minister for many years and she taught Religious Education.
Joan is survived by her three children, Joanne Brinkley of Alameda, CA, Brian of Mt. Marion, and Lauren Gold of Bellevue, Washington. She is survived by her 4 grandchildren, Heather, Melissa, Ryan, and Ari and her great and great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her dog CiCi whom she adored.
Joan was predeceased by her husband Richard in 2013, her son Gary in 1996, and her grandson Taylor in 2000. Joan is also predeceased by her siblings Raymond, Alice, Gerald, Lorraine, Jean, and Margaret.
Friends may call Thursday, August 5 at Buono Funeral Service between the hours of 2 to 6. Funeral will be 10:00 AM Friday, August 6, 2021 at St John of the Evangelist with burial in Mt. Marion Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude's as this was Joan's favorite charity.
Special thanks go to 2 special people who are Joan's nurse, Dominique Nicklaus and Joan's friend Patti Nieffer. God makes angels and these are two of the best!

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