SOUTH PORTLAND — Marion O’Leary, 99, died peacefully Feb. 8, at the South Portland Nursing Facility.

She was born in Portland, April 22, 1914, the daughter of Robert V. and Marion L. Priestly Horan. She graduated from Dorchester High School, Dorchester, Mass., in Class of 1932, furthering her education at Massachusetts Memorial Hospital becoming a registered nurse.

On August 5, 1940, she married James E. O’Leary.

She worked her entire career as a nurse, she served as a supervisor at the old Children’s Hospital in Portland, a nursing instructor at Mercy Hospital, at the orthopedic and clinic at Maine General Hospital and worked as the office nurse and “Girl Friday” for Dr. Thomas A. Martin Sr. for thirty years. Due to her hearing loss, Martin had a hearing assisted phone installed at the office and her home; the first in Maine. She retired in 1976. Being deaf in one ear as a child and then losing hearing in the other ear in the 1940s, never kept her from achieving her goals and being competent in the nursing field. In her spare time, she served in the Maine State Nurses Association, Massachusetts Memorial Hospital Alumni, treasurer of the Maine Medical Assistants Group, Cheverus Mothers Club, Holy Cross Sodality and a member of the 400 Club. She was a devout Catholic and a longtime communicant of Holy Cross Church in South Portland. She was an avid reader, completed daily newspaper crosswords, enjoyed knitting, kept a daily journal, Red Sox fan and Celtics fan.

She was predeceased by her husband, James E. O’Leary on March 6, 1992; and brother, Donald Horan.

She is survived by a daughter, Judith and her husband Robert Balko, of South Portland; two sons, Timothy and his wife Joyce O’Leary, of Arizona and Robert O’Leary, of South Portland; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours were held Feb. 16, at the Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel. Prayers recited at the funeral home Feb. 17, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Cross Church, South Portland. Burial in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to South Portland Public Library, 482 Broadway, South Portland, ME 04106.

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