Leona O'Hearn Obituary

O'Hearn

Leona Valentine

(Leone) O'Hearn

April 1, 1938

September 24, 2020



Leona V. O'Hearn Passed away on September 24, 2020, at Saint Francis medical Center from a series of cascading medical events following a fall in which she sustained a broken hip. She had been dealing with a number of medical problems for over a decade.

Leona was born in New York City on April 1, 1938, to William and Josephine Leone. Following graduation from Cathedral high school in 1955, she attended business college for a year and then went to work on Wall Street for an international bank.

She married Louis Caplan on September 5, 1959. Louis tragically died in a workplace accident in February 1960. Following his death, Leona went to work as an office manager in an orthopedic medical practice.

In July 1963 she married Lt. Thomas O'Hearn. During their 22 years in the Air Force, they were stationed in Texas, North Dakota, Colorado, and Germany. Leona was an active community member in all the Air Force assignments especially in the areas of sports and culinary activities.

Following retirement from the Air Force in 1986 she "volunteered" to become the office manager for Front Range Institute, a mental health facility cofounded by her husband, Tom and Charles "Pax" Hayes. Her initial commitment of two years to get the practice off the ground, stretched out to nine. During that time the Institute grew to over a dozen full and part time Psychologists, Social workers, and Psychiatrists. She retired from the Institute in 1995 and continued in her role as mother, grandmother, household engineer (The opinions of the husbands in this house are not necessarily those of the management), chef, surrogate parent to many, and friend. Many who came into contact with her were immutably changed, in a positive way, by that encounter.

Leona was preceded in death by her parents, William and Josephine, her sister Kathy, and Louis Caplan. She is survived by her husband of 57 years Tom, 2 sons William and Kenneth O'Hearn, daughter AnnMarie Lane,3 grandchildren Ryan O'Hearn, Wyatt Lane and Rio Lane, and sisters/friends of many decades Ann, Emma, Ginny, Jeanette, and Lynn.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 26 in Monument at the Woodmoor community center a.k.a. the barn, 1691 Woodmoor Dr., from 1 to 5 PM. If planning to attend, please call 719-238-8089 and leave a message regarding the number of attendees.