Bob O’Leary

Robert “Bob” Louis O’Leary passed away early in the morning on Friday, January 22, 2021, at Sheridan Memorial Hospital after suffering a massive brain aneurysm. Bob was the second of three boys born to Michael and Louise (Johnson) O’Leary in Billings, Montana on August 4, 1953. He graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1971. From there, his automotive career led him to Fitchner Chevrolet in Laurel, Montana where he met his future wife, Patricia Bernhardt. They married in 1978 in Laurel and shortly thereafter moved to Sheridan, Wyoming where they made their forever home and raised their three children, Kristen, Kyle, and Katelyn.

Bob was known as The Parts Guy. You provide the VIN number, he’ll get you your part! Just don’t ask him how to put it on because he was no mechanic. Bob knew everyone by what car they drove. The peak of his day was coming home and telling his family who came into the shop that day; it could have been an old friend he hadn’t seen in months, the guy who comes in every week just to shoot the breeze or a new friend who was just passing through and needed a water pump. No matter who it was, everyone who came to his counter became Bob’s friend.
After the workday was done, Bob could often be found watching airplanes at Sheridan County Airport.

He was a proud airplane geek and was always cognizant of tail numbers, makes and models of those airplanes visiting Sheridan and where they might be headed next. He was a self-taught musician and was an active participant in the local music scene. From country-western to old-time polka music, Bob spent many Friday and Saturday nights playing drums to local crowds at the Legion or the Elks Club. He was a founding member of the Bandana Band and was the featured drummer of many local bands over the years whenever someone needed that important ingredient to their sound. Despite his family’s pleas for peaceful Sunday mornings, it seemed that that was the most ideal time to practice his steel guitar.

Music was both a pastime and a passion and he passed that love of music on to all three of his children. Bob was a member of the Elks Club and most recently had become a Shriner. For the last 10 years, he played the part of the hero in the annual Shrine Melodrama. Bob was certainly an entertainer!
As a Dad, he was always there. Always at every school performance, every sporting event yelling over the other’s parents, always napping in his recliner on a Saturday afternoon while the tv played soothing Bob Ross episodes, and most importantly, he always kept us laughing. Even though he grew up without a dad, he somehow knew how to be a good one.
Bob is survived by his wife, Pat O’Leary, their three children, Kristen Etchechoury, Kyle (Julie) O’Leary, and Katelyn (James) Lollar and four grandchildren Ethyn and Peyton Etchechoury and Rayna and Rayden Lollar and his two brothers Jim and Richard O’Leary.

Bob had planned to retire from Sheridan Motors on January 29, 2021. A Celebration of Life/Retirement for Bob will be held at Kane Funeral Home reception hall on Saturday, January 30, 2021, from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Come and share your Bob stories with his family and friends. Light refreshments will be served.
Social distancing measures and face coverings will be highly encouraged at the family’s request.
Donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the Kalif Shrine Center, Sheridan, Wyoming.  

Online condolences may be written at www.kanefuneral.com Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.