O’LEARY, Dr. Thomas B., Jr. Age 97, January 29, 2019. A resident of Weston for 58 years was born in Dorchester, MA November 28, 1921 the son of Dr. Thomas B O'Leary Sr. and Elinore Robinson. He is predeceased by his wife Dr Helen P. O’Leary. He leaves behind two daughters Kathy O’Leary and Nansi O’Leary Widen, son-in-law Colin S Widen, and four grandchildren Alexander B. Widen, William T. Widen, Nicholas T. Widen and Michaela R. Widen, and several nieces and nephews.
He attended Boston College High School class of 1939. After completing his third year at Tufts University, at the age of 20 years in July 1942, Tom enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program for Basic Training at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas to be trained as an Army pilot. He was one of the last pilots admitted into the Army Air Corps’ 1942 Class 42X at Randolph Field Texas. There, he was put in a Classified Pre - Flight School at Kelly Field. The US Army Air Corps assembled a handpicked group of 400 cadets out of thousands of applicants to begin a course that would give them only 7 weeks-a third of the normal time-to win their wings. It had never been tried before, and it never has been done since. The purpose of the experimental class was to see how fast they could teach men to fly. The country was in desperate need of pilots and the war was impending. A total of 235 or 58% of the Class of 42X --X stands for experimental-- received their wings with the rank of Second Lieutenant on December 13th 1942. In recognition of its experimental status, the class mascot was a guinea pig -- “the majority of pigs stood the test”. Tom was one of them. Tom flew BT-13's, 14's, AT-6's and PT-9's and B25, B26, B17, B24, C46, C47, he flew them all. He was stationed as an Instructor Pilot at Coffeyville Kansas, Liberal Kansas and Keesler Field MS.
At the end of the war he completed his B.S at Tufts and he entered the Class of 1950 at Tufts School of Dental Medicine. He remained in the Air Force Reserve on active duty and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He married his Tufts Dental School classmate Dr. Helen Papoulias and opened a joint practice in West Roxbury on Centre St. with her for 51 years.
He is a member of the Order of Daedalians an organization of Military Pilots attending monthly meetings at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford MA
He was an avid golfer and a member of Woodland Golf Club for more than 60 years. Since his childhood, he loved spending summers at his summer home in Rockport MA. His interests were Geology, Anthropology and History and he was a true New Englander who was proud of his family roots that traced back to New England’s early settlers. He was a true Boston sports fan, so proud of his Red Sox and Patriots.
Visiting hours at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St., (Rt.16) WELLESLEY, Monday, Feb. 4 from 10:30am-12:30pm followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Julia’s Church, Weston at 1:00pm. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in Linwood Cemetery, Weston.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Thomas’ memory to Missions K9 Rescue, https://missionk9rescue.org/