“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
This is the quote from Patrick O’Leary’s email signature. If you were lucky enough to have known him, you realize it is truly the way he approached every facet of his too-short life.
Patrick Bernard O’Leary was born to Thomas and Agnes O’Leary in Chicago, IL on January 12, 1953. The youngest of 3 children, Pat was an avid baseball fan and player, but his biggest love was basketball. He played basketball in Ouray up until just a few years ago. He enjoyed school and did well at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, IL and DePaul University in Chicago.
Pat met Martha (Marti) Balbo while they were both working at LaSalle Partners Real Estate Company in Chicago. After a fun courtship, they married on September 12, 1982 in Chicago. They transferred to Denver and became westerners for a few years before moving back to Hinsdale, IL, where they adopted their two children. In 1986 they were blessed with their son Alex and in 1987 with their daughter Katie.
Pat was so happy when the family all settled in Ridgway and the kids found their own local communities. Katie has been an employee of Second Chance Humane Society, lovingly taking care of cats & dogs for over 13 years. Alex will become one the growers in the new greenhouse at the Firehouse project, fulfilling one of his many passions – tending plants.
Pat’s time at LaSalle Partners was formative and successful. Many of the friendships that began there were cherished by Pat the rest of his life. Pat always kept an eye on those less fortunate and served for over 20 years as chairman & board member of Jane Addams Hull House Association in Chicago. The Jane Addams Hull House began as a settlement home for European immigrants in the late 1880s. Pat’s mother’s family was helped by Hull House in the 1930s.
Pat always loved music and never stopped learning. He bought a piano before he had learned to play, so at 50 years old he started taking piano lessons, including from Nancy Ziglar in Ouray for many years. Pat had a lovely singing voice and amazing pitch. He also loved an audience — he and Marti joined the fledgling Sherbino Theater Company where they formed friendships and enjoyed sharing their talent in plays, skits and musicals.
In 2005, the O’Leary family bought a home on Log Hill in Ridgway. Pat loved the way the town felt — he said it reminded him of West Chicago when he was growing up — except of course for the mountains. While Marti remained in Ridgway supervising the addition to their home, Pat commuted back & forth from Chicago. Pat moved to Ridgway full time in 2010, and they started engaging in town, putting their considerable skills to work for several area nonprofits.
Pat’s commitment to the Sherbino forever changed the fabric of Ridgway. He served on the board in various capacities including chair and treasurer and on most committees. He and Marti have been stalwart volunteers at nearly every event, cleaning day, project and celebration. Since the Sherbino’s centennial in 2015, Pat occasionally graced the town in character as Louis Sherbino, bringing the impact of the 1915 theater full circle. Pat led the charge to remodel the historic Sherbino in 2018, securing its future as a more comfortable, beautiful, usable event space anchoring the core of downtown.
Pat became a dedicated member of the Log Hill Fire Department. As was his way, he was “all-in” — completing required training, being on call and enjoying the camaraderie of the team.
Marti and Pat adopted their amazing dog, Hidalgo, from Second Chance and were often seen walking him all over Log Hill’s wonderful trails and on the Ridgway River Walk.
Pat’s friendship with Michael McCullough and Lucy Boody led Pat and Marti to purchase the Old Firehouse property and to begin the major project of allowing the space to continue to figure prominently in Ridgway’s future as well.
During the pandemic, Pat and Marti saw the needs of local residents. They joined forces with Barthold and Cat Lichtenbelt to start the Ouray County Response Fund through the Telluride Foundation. Residents have benefitted from generosity and the timely safety net it provides.
Pat and Marti loved spending time on their gorgeous coffee farm in Costa Rica. They enjoyed introducing friends to the culture and beauty of the country.
Pat’s love for his family and friends, dedication to local residents, commitment to the future success of the town, and infectious enthusiasm were always evident. Without Pat there is a gigantic void in so many lives. Carrying his legacy forward will be a mighty job for all.
Pat is survived by his wife Marti, his children Katie, Alex (Amberely, Elle, Adi), and his brother Tom (Sue) and sister Kathy, niece Jessica Balbo (Jason Bojar) of Ridgway, in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and an incredible number of friends who all consider themselves privileged to have been with him on his life’s journey.
If you wish to honor Pat, please consider donating to the Sherbino he worked tirelessly for (sherbino.org/contribute), to HopeWest Hospice which helped Pat’s family care for him so well in his final days (www. hopewestco.org/donate), or to the Ouray County Response Fund (telluridefoundation.org).
A celebration of Pat’s life will be held at his beloved Sherbino in the early summer.
