Elaine O'Leary

Longtime Evergreen, Colo., resident Elaine O’Leary died May 15, 2025, shortly after a stroke, at age 87. She and husband Lynwood “Bud” O’Leary moved to the Greenwood subdivision from Northglenn, Colo., in 1972 with their five children.

An accomplished and prolific fiber weaver, she learned her craft in design and weaving classes, selling her work at art shows and gifting much of it to family and friends. Prior to that she described herself as a stay-at-home mother who later did office work for local professionals.

Up until her passing, she could be seen driving about town to grocery stores and medical appointments, and prowling the bookstacks of the Evergreen library in search of fresh reads.

She was born in New York City, January 6, 1938, to Mary Kate Cass (nee Whelan), an emigree from County Longford, Ireland, and Ellsworth Cass, a native of Concord, N.H. Along with brother Robert, the family lived in Bronx, N.Y. and Lodi, N.J., before moving in to Grand Junction, Colo., in 1949, and Aurora, Colo., a year later.

A graduate of Cathedral High School, Denver, she attended Loretto Heights College, and married Bud on July 4, 1959. They briefly lived in Denver, Colo., Syracuse, N.Y., and Phoenix, Ariz., before settling in Northglenn, where Elaine gave birth to four boys and adopted one girl.

The family’s move to Evergreen in 1972 was the beginning of a fruitful period of learning and growth for Elaine: while raising her children, she learned to swim, horseback ride, play golf, cross-country ski, bicycle, bake bread and create arts and crafts. Her other interests included reading, sewing, gardening, indoor plants, two cats and Jazzercise classes. She pursued an associate degree in fiber arts at Arapaho Community College, and worked part-time for the Evergreen Junior High School, the Yankee Doodler bookstore, a local therapist and a local attorney. She also volunteered her time at Evergreen Christian Outreach, Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity and Evergreen Pregnancy Center (now Life’s Options Pregnancy Center).

Elaine is survived by husband Lynwood E. “Bud” O’Leary, Evergreen; brother Robert B. Cass (Nancy), Canon City, Colo.; son John O’Leary (Mary), Broomfield, Colo.; son Joseph O’Leary (Kathleen), Dumont, Colo.; son James O’Leary, Englewood, Colo.; daughter Cathleen Sohlberg (Sten), Missoula, Mont.; son Jeffrey O’Leary (Jeanine), Centennial, Colo.; grandson Shannon O’Leary, Littleton, Colo.; granddaughter Annika Sohlberg, Seattle, Wash.; grandson Michael O’Leary, Ann Arbor, Mich.; grandson Olof Sohlberg, Missoula, Mont.; and grandson Matthew O’Leary, Boulder, Colo.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Seniors4Wellness (P.O. Box 361, Evergreen, CO 80437) or Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity (P.O. Box 2366, Evergreen, CO 80437).