Dan (DanO) Oleary was a sportsman, a father, a husband and all around good guy. He loved his home and being "part of" a community that mattered.. he loved his work, and cared about the outcomes... I have worked with and appreciated his wicked sense of humor, and gentle ways since I have known him.. We met at Sun Microsystems a decade ago. We would have worked together a good many hours as IT customer service, "duty" managers responding to service escalations. An escalation to Dan was an opportunity to get caught up with someone that would be pleasant and delightful and glad to work with you. He did not let distraction get in the way of a life well lived, DanO chose, and acted on his choice to be connected to those around him. To care no matter what, to do the right thing no matter what, to really be and live his values.

DanO embodied the values I learned from my grandpa "Simmie", that people matter-- everyday.. and most of them just want you to make the time to know that you will roll up your sleeves and work beside them because you are a team.. He was never afraid to show he was part of a team, and was not at all afraid of asking the questions that made the right things happen. DanO was a dear man, and he left us too soon at 50. My friends and colleagues, in honor of Dan... and for this day, I will do and be to others, what he was to so many of us.. Dan had a way of "bear hugging you" with his words and actions, WHILE getting things done. SURE let's get things done, but while rolling up our sleeves to do them, lets remember that PEOPLE matter!

If you know Dan Oleary, please feel free to sign his guest book, so his family may know how much we loved him too! In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Daniel J. O’Leary Scholarship Fund, Acct. # 33158, Holy Rosary Credit Union, 133 Brock Street, Rochester NH 03867 To view or sign the online guestbook please go to www.edgerlyfh.com.

Today let us show uncommon love and recognition to those who have demonstrated this consistency and persistence regardless of what is happening. Somewhere along the line, we got too busy doing, so busy doing, and being true to my values, that we lost why we worked.

Years and years of 'Sun Top Achiever Recognition Summits... 6 years of introspection after 91101, questioning our value if no one would recognize, we are all the sudden not a hero for doing our job, worse if we are laid off, whether or not we had done our jobs well. Realizing, why of course, it is not the diving catch that makes us a hero, it is the consistency to which we are willing to keep on keeping on, to demonstrate respect for one another.. It is the quality of character within our hearts to do what is right. DanO had this down to an art, caring for his family, his community and his work-- there is more depth of character that you would have missed, if you never took the time to know this delightful man.

The problem was not "out there" it was "in here".. I wasted too much time being off balance in quality consciousness. Caring so much more about the heroic finishes, that I had forgotten the fundamental elements of success...

Things work better when we care about one another, care for one another. No, it's not you, it's me. There was something inside of me that led me to believe that if the majority were completely driven, completely focused on the diving catch of looking busy.. There are others that show up for their jobs every day, not for recognition, but for the appreciation that the journey is here, and now, not here and now, if someone sees it!

DanO, you WILL be missed! My friend you were a delight to know, let us embody a bit of that to give to one another! If you didn't know Dan, write someone who IS important to you and let them know you appreciate them! Lets create a rampage of appreciation for one another, and leave no words of appreciation, unspoken.