James Edward O’Leary was born on August 16, 1971 in Boulder, Colorado to James and Jane (Nelson) O’Leary. He grew up in Wayne where he attended grade school and was a confirmed member of the First Presbyterian Church. As a young boy, Jed’s interest revolved around music, band, and taking things apart and putting them back together. The first instrument he learned to play was a clarinet. Jed graduated from Wayne High School in 1989 and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Education in Music and Psychology from Wayne State College in 1994. Jed worked as a band director in Wisner from 1994 to1995 and then in Ponca from 1995 to 1996 before moving to Fremont where he taught music at the Fremont Middle School and Johnson Crossing. Jed went on to earn his Master of Music Degree in Woodwind Performance in 2001 from the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) and his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Boston University in
2010. He was also an Adjunct Teacher at Midland University and taught on-line courses for Wayne State College.

Jed played clarinet in the Sioux City Municipal Summer Band and also for many years in the Sioux City All America Band. He played cello in the Sioux City Symphony for more than 15 seasons. Jed played clarinet and saxophone in various events around the Fremont area and was a member of many educational and
musical organizations where he held several offices. In 2013-2014 Jed was a writer and editor for the new Nebraska State Standards for Music Education. Jed married Sarah Pavey on August 8, 1998 at the First Presbyterian Church in Wayne, Nebraska and they were blessed with two sons: Jay (10) and Ethan (6). Jed and Sarah made their home in Fremont from 1998 to 2010 before settling in Elkhorn.

Jed lived his entire life at a non-stop pace. He enjoyed learning about technology, running, flying his Cessna 172 airplane, swimming, was a certified scuba diver, and also participated several times in the Bike Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN). He was also a pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) at Fremont Aviation. Jed was also on a streak of 8 years of daily exercise without missing a day. He was creative, talented and musical. Jed, also, could fix anything mechanical and was a dedicated church member at Countryside Community Church. He enjoyed listening to Jazz and Classical music.

Jed was also a wonderful, son, uncle, husband, and father. He loved to teach his older son, Jay, how to play the recorder, piano, trombone, and cello. He also enjoyed going to Denver Bronco games with him and was teaching him how to play golf and chess. Jed’s younger son, Ethan, enjoyed building LEGO projects with his dad and going for fun rides in their old 1992 Ford Ranger truck. Jed loved spending time with his family, including taking Disney Cruises and trips to a family home in Pueblo, Colorado.

Jed enjoyed running with his sister and they participated in local running events together several years in a row, and his first 10-mile trail run last October where he placed 2nd in his age group. He took a great deal of pride in pushing himself and setting new personal records.

Jed passed away on March 13, 2015 at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the result of a traffic accident, at the age of 43. He was preceded in death by his brother Jay D. O’Leary (1992) and his grandparents. Jed is survived by his wife Sarah; sons Jay and Ethan all of Elkhorn; parents Jay and Jane O’Leary of Wayne, NE; sister and brother-in-law Jill and Arick Scott and their children Abby and Mark of Bennington, NE; In-laws Norman and Sybil Pavey of Vero Beach, FL; and brother-in-law Christopher Pavey of Merritt Island, FL.

Jed has left a legacy behind him and made an impact on all who encountered him. He will be fondly remembered and sorely missed.

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