Obituary of Jean Frances O'Leary

It is with heavy hearts and sadness that we the family announce the passing of our dear Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and dear friend. Jean Frances O’Leary (nee McLeod) age 96 years, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 15, 2025.

She was the daughter of the late William and Dorothy (Gretton) MacLeod of Avoca, QC, where she lived until the age of 14 when she went to Montreal to work and where she met her husband, Leonard. They moved to Sault St. Marie, ON, where they later married and they had 3 children before moving back to Nova Scotia. She was a housewife for many years before they decided to open a General Store in Halfway Cove, which she tended for some 30 years or more.

Jean had a great fondness of dogs, especially her little Shih Tzu Peko, whom she missed dearly after she moved to Guysborough to live. She enjoyed knitting, sewing, and making quilts. Jean will be lovingly remembered by her family for being a strong, independent, resilient woman. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

She is survived by her daughter, Dorothy (Wallace) Hendsbee, Half Island Cove; son, David, Surrey, BC; daughter-in-law, Debbie O’Leary, Frankville; grandchildren, Kimberly (Tim), Stephen (Sydney), Tanya (Marc), Holly, Julia (Blake), Cheyenne; several great-grandchildren; nephew, Cyril George; special friend, Gary Newfeld. She was predeceased by her husband, Leonard; son, Pat; grandson, John Leonard (JL); brothers, Garnet, Earl, Fred; sisters, Edna, Grace, Zeenie, Dorothy; special friend, Stephen Townsend.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Milford Haven Home for Special Care for mom’s care and also thank you to Dr. Ranjini and the staff at Guysborough Hospital for all your compassion. The family thanks you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Visitation will be from 1 – 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 20 in Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Guysborough. Funeral mass will be 11 a.m. Friday from St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Queensport with Father Jonathan officiating. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Family flowers only please. Memorial donations in Jean’s memory can be made to Guysborough Memorial Hospital. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com