Mike O’Leary

A leader of leaders, blessed with quiet wisdom and a humble spirit, Mike O’Leary passed away unexpectedly on the morning of Sunday, March 9. He is now enjoying the presence of the Savior whom he loved so well, and to whom he pointed countless kids and adults.

Mike’s journey with Young Life began at Duval High School outside of Washington D.C. and continued during his time at the University of Maryland. The same month he graduated, he married the love of his life, Carol Taylor. He continued to volunteer for the next eight years, and on December 1, 1980, Mike came on Young Life staff. His roles varied throughout the decades, but his gentle leadership was visible in each. From area director, associate field director, and regional director positions on the East Coast, to his time in Colorado directing the mission’s strategy development and initiatives, to his final role as the president of Young Life of Canada, Mike loved Jesus and people well.

Longtime Young Life staff, Lee Corder, pointed out the far-reaching impact his dear friend had on the mission’s growth. “During Denny Rydberg’s tenure as president, Mike moved to Colorado Springs to lead our RTD (Recruiting, Training, and Deploying) Initiative. Through his team’s leadership, Young Life reached the point where we were in contact weekly with over one million young people; a growth initiative like we had never seen before. So many lives touched!”

In whatever role he served within the mission of Young Life, he embodied the role of encourager and mentor to many, as can be seen in sentiments like these:

“Mike taught me more about leadership than anyone.”

“Mike's sense of humor, biblical wisdom, and infectious passion for Jesus and kids were such a wonderful combination.”

“Mike was the most principled person I knew. I am thankful for his 30 years of mentorship.”

His daughter, Kathleen, shared beautifully how her father influenced her throughout her life:

“My father led so well. He led our family well, he led his staff and volunteers well, he led his sailing club well – because he served others well. He was a humble man, but he was an epic leader. Two days before he passed, I finished work and called him for one of our regular FaceTime chats. I told him about the project I was working on with my colleagues, and asked his advice on how to encourage them in the vision I had for the way we serve our customers. He was just so stinking wise. He knew how to handle challenging situations, he knew how to bring out the best in others. He was so witty, his sense of humor quiet yet sharp and brilliant. He had a way with few words, each one was precious to me. He never gave space to personal concerns about the future, which freed up his capacity to be entirely present with and focused on those around him. His special gift was strategic growth and training people to execute those plans. However, his spiritual superpower was wisdom – which he told me once when I was starting grad school – was what he prayed for every day.

“This man taught me to be a leader, taught me how to follow a higher calling without fear or worry, taught me to love others generously. He showed me how to be ‘rich in the things that matter.’” As I sat on the flight from Geneva, I felt overwhelmed by gratitude that he was my father and that by living his life well, he had created a deep, wide, and steadfast fellowship to surround us. I am grateful for so many who have encouraged us over the last week because of how he touched their lives.

“I am so proud of him, my role model to the end. May I live like he lived – loving God and others with all my heart, creating a deeper sense of community and fellowship for the rest of my days in his honor.”

Mike is survived by Carol who lives in Surrey, B.C. Canada, and his three adult children, Kathleen, Kelley, and Jonathan.