O’Meara Peggy J. (Jane Margaret)

80, born Jane Margaret McInnis, in Eau Claire, WI, Mrs. O’Meara died on January 30, 2011, in Scottsdale, AZ. Peggy graduated from St. Patrick’s High School, Eau Claire, WI and then studied recreation at Wisconsin State University – Eau Claire. She married Leonard H. Gearan, a career Army aviator from Gardner, MA; together they traveled the world with their four children until his retirement. Following Leonard’s death, she married Phoenix businessman and co-founder of the Valley’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Daniel O’Meara in 1985.

For nearly 30 years, Peggy and Dan worked tirelessly for the Valley’s needy families and elderly. She served as director of the Transient Aide Center, which provides emergency food relief to homeless families, and later managed “Seniors Helping Seniors,” a nationally award-winning home weatherization program sponsored by Southwest Gas and the Arizona Department of Energy. In retirement, she served on the board of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Phoenix Diocesan Council. Peggy is survived by her children, Jane Mueller and her children Meg, Peter, and Steven of Fall Creek, WI; Ann Leslie of West Hartford, CT; Timothy Gearan, his wife Anne and daughter Claire, of Washington, DC; John Gearan and his wife Susan of Washington, DC; her stepson Gerard, his wife Maryanne and their children Stephen of Denver, CO, and Anne of Tucson, AZ; her brother, John McInnis of Prescott, AZ; sister-in-law, Jan (Dittmer) McInnis of Richmond, VA; two great grandchildren and 17 nieces and nephews. Mrs. O’Meara was preceded in death by both husbands, her parents, her sister Mary Hauser, her brothers, Roderick and James McInnis and niece, Jill McInnis. A Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 4, at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 3424 N. 18th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85015. The family requests that any contributions be sent to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.