Manchester Obituary: Jeremiah O'Leary, Jr., 42

Jeremiah T. “Jay” O’Leary Jr., 42, of Manchester passed away peacefully on Friday, July 14, 2017 surrounded by his family after a brief but fierce battle with cancer.

As sick as Jay was, he still went each day with the strong work ethic and determination that he was famous for. He wouldn’t let cancer change who he was or how he did things.

Jay had a deep passion for horticulture, thanks largely to his mentor Leon Zapadka of Woodland Gardens in Manchester. Jay started working there at the age of 13 and never looked back. In 1996 Jay started his own design and build landscape company that he successfully ran until 2004.

When his first child was born he went on to a long career in the landscape department at the Garden Barn in Vernon. Prior to his terminal diagnosis he was employed as a gardener for the town of Glastonbury Parks and Recreation Department and Jay was also the assistant winter operations manager at the Butler company working at Pratt and Whitney. This was a job that he loved very much. Even with stage IV colon cancer Jay was the first guy in and the last guy out after each and every winter event.

Jay really enjoyed his time working with Jon Rinaldi who also shared a love of snow and the challenges of running a site like Pratt. Jay had many interests outside of work, including vacations with his family, caring for his yard, his Buffalo Bills which he and Jessica used to go see play up at the Ralph, the Boston Red Sox, the Carolina Hurricanes and of course watching and helping to coach Max’s football team, the Manchester Knights.

Jay leaves behind his loving wife Jessica, his daughters Donatella Roseanne O’Leary, Julianna Jessie O’Leary, his step son Maxamillion Burzynski all of Manchester and his son Dylan Thomas Wytas of Stafford. He also leaves behind his sister Leeann Boucher and her husband Scott and Scott Jr. of Old Town, Maine. His in-laws Roland and Phyllis Roy of Norwich who he was very fond of and appreciative of all they have done in these last few months, as well as countless friends he made over the years but most notably, Luke Zapadka and the entire Zapadka family who are his second family, Peter Clark, Lenny Larson and Brian Riggott. Jay was predeceased by his mother Donna Leigh O’Leary in 1998.

In lieu of flowers, donations for the O’Leary children can be made to Jessica O’Leary.

Jeremiah’s family will receive friends at the Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home 551 Talcottville Rd., Vernon on Thursday, July 20, from 5pm-8pm. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM on July 21, 2017 at St. Bridget Church, 80 Main St., Manchester with burial to follow at St. James Cemetery.

Please visit us online at www.carmonfuneralhome.com for online condolences and guest book.