Mother, grandmother, licensed clinical social worker

Claremont resident Frances Lillian O’Leary (nee Bock) died peacefully at home on November 14 at age 88 after a long battle with cancer.

She was born at St. Vincent hospital in Los Angeles on January 10, 1937, to Albert C. Bock and Ellen M. Bock (nee Sweeney), the fourth of five children. Frances attended both St. Columbkille and Ascension elementary schools and graduated in 1954 from Conaty High School in Los Angeles before attending Mount Saint Mary’s College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology with a minor in mathematics in 1958. She then received a full scholarship to attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a master’s degree in social work in 1960. Following graduate school, she returned to Los Angeles to work at Catholic Welfare Bureau as a social worker. With experience, she later became a licensed clinical social worker.

She was recruited to the Catholic Welfare Bureau (later Catholic Charities) by the Rev. William J. Barry; he also recruited Paul O’Leary from the Boston College School of Social Work. She and Paul were hired to help build the welfare bureau in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. They were friends and colleagues before dating; they wed on August 3, 1963, with Rev. Barry officiating.

With a growing family, the O’Learys moved from south Los Angeles to Claremont in 1968. She worked as a social worker and eventually the couple bought an office and opened their own practice, the Sycamore Counseling Center, in Pomona. She worked as a psychotherapist until retiring in 2004, after helping hundreds of clients, including children in foster care.

She was an ardent Catholic, and since 1968 the couple were members of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. She was a dedicated gardener, an accomplished baker, and took great pride in her children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Ellen; siblings Marian McNamara and Robert Bock;  and her husband of 60 years, Paul Andrew O’Leary, Sr.

She is survived by her sisters, Marjorie Peffer and Carolyn Harich; children Maureen, Julie (Nora), Anne (Ben, Ava and Ellen Cohen), Paul Jr. (Shari Fournier, Lila and Andrew), Timothy (Laura Temes, Sofia and Lucas) and Patrick (Virginia Pol). She also has many surviving nieces and nephews.

A Mass will be held in her honor at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 29 at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 435 Berkeley Ave., Claremont 91711, with a reception to follow.

A burial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, December 1 at Oak Park Cemetery, 410 Sycamore Ave., Claremont 91711.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, the organization at which Frances and Paul first met, at catholiccharitiesla.org/donate (Please mention Frances O’Leary in the comment field), or to the charity of your choice.