Helen D. Cleary

Helen Dolores O’Hara-Cleary, 94, of Petersburg, passed away peacefully at 7:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016, at Sunny Acres Nursing Home. Helen was born February 1, 1922, to Michael and Amanda O’Hara, at their family home near Bulwark, Alberta, where she grew up one of fourteen siblings. Around 1950 she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia; where she worked for Crone Moving & Storage as a payroll clerk. While working at Crone Moving & Storage she worked her way up to manager of the Storage Department. While working there she met Jack Cleary, a truck driver from Seattle. Helen married Jack in December of 1955 in Seattle, Washington. They had 2 daughters together. While living in Seattle she worked for Boeing Airplane Co. as a clerk. After 6 years, she divorced and took her 2 daughters to Long Beach, CA to raise as a single mother. One of the life lessons that she passed on to her daughters was, “Don’t be a conformist.” She worked her whole life as a bookkeeper, office manager, etc. She was very proud of her work and was never out of work long enough to collect an Unemployment Check. Helen moved from California to the Petersburg area in the late 1980’s where one of her daughters and granddaughters resided. She wanted to be a part of her granddaughter’s life. Helen was preceded in death by her parents: 11 of her 14 siblings, and her daughter Michelle Rademaker of Oakford, IL. She is survived by her daughter Pamela-Cleary Wilson (husband Don Wilson) of Nyssa, OR, her grand-daughter Sara Heaton of Tallula, IL, her great-grandchildren Jacob and Payton Dawson of Tallula, IL, her sister Scarlet Smith of Quallieum BC, and her brother Vince O’Hara of Kamloops, BC, Canada. In accordance with Helen’s wishes cremation rites will be accorded by Hurley Funeral Home Petersburg. A memorial mass celebrated by Msgr. Thomas Holinga will be held on Monday, April 4, at 2 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, 711 S 6th St. Petersburg, IL 62675. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the time of mass. Those who wish may leave memorials in Helen’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please visit Helen’s online obituary at www.hurleyfh.com

Helen D. Cleary

February 1, 1922 - March 27, 2016

Explore Obituaries &
Upcoming Services