John O'Leary - Brainerd Dispatch | News, weather, sports from Brainerd and Baxter
John Benjamin O’Leary, 100, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2022 in Minneapolis. Born in Kennebec, South Dakota on April 17, 1922 to Edward and Mary (McQuigg) O’Leary, John spent his high school years in Waverly, Minnesota, and moved to Minneapolis for college. His start at the University of St. Thomas was interrupted by World War II, during which John was a navigator on B-17s and flew 32 missions in the European Theater, including as a lead navigator on D-Day. The GI Bill allowed him to continue his education at the University of Minnesota, where he attained a Doctor of Medicine degree...