Edward Bernard O'Hara

Edward Bernard O'Hara was born in Parsons, Kansas on November 26, 1925 and passed away peacefully on July 15, 2016 at his home in Lakewood, Colorado. Edward was born to James Patrick O'Hara and Mary Margret (O'Connor) O'Hara. Ed was the second oldest of 12 children. He was preceded in death by his parents as well as James, Jack, Margaret, Gerald, Mike and Kathleen. He is survived by his brothers Joe and Charles and his sisters, Elaine, Betty Ann, and Jeannie. Ed grew up on a farm surrounded by his large extended Irish family. On the farm they grew many different crops, swam in the rivers, fished for catfish and enjoyed the country lifestyle. In November of 1943, at the age of 17, at the height of World War II, Ed tried to enlist in various branches of the military, but was denied because they thought he had tuberculosis. He successfully enlisted in the Army for short period, but ultimately received an honorable discharge in 1944, over concerns for his lungs. It was later determined to be scarring from a bout of pneumonia he had in his youth. Growing up, Ed held many different jobs including working as a Brakeman on the Katy Railroad, a liquor store clerk, the U.S. Census, the Post Office and spent one summer working as a Purser on a boat in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. Ed had an adventuresome spirit and enjoyed traveling the west, fishing and camping with friends and family. Following high school Ed attended Washburn University and in five years completed both his undergraduate degree and received a law degree. In 1946 at a bean dance in Erie, Kansas Edward met Rita Diskin and began the lifetime romance with the line, ""Hey big nose, do you want to dance?"" After graduating law school and dating off and on for seven years, Ed and Rita married at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul Kansas in 1953. After the wedding they honeymooned in Montana where Ed had found a job as a Petroleum Landman for Sohio Petroleum. After living in Lewistown, Montana for a year they returned to Parsons, Kansas where Ed lost an election for County Attorney by a slim margin. Ed practiced law in Parsons during the next two years and became a new father. Karen was born in 1954 followed by Katie in 1955. In 1955 in search of a new career Ed moved the family to Lakewood, Colorado and began working as an Independent Petroleum Landman. In 1957 their third daughter Colleen was born followed by BJ in 1960 and Brian in 1963. In 1968 Ed designed and acted as general contractor on their current home in Lakewood. Ed was considered a pioneer in the oil and gas industry in Colorado and ran a successful oil and gas exploration in development company until his death. Ed was interested in real estate, the stock market, was involved in the Denver Petroleum Club and the Petroleum Pioneers. He was a kind, humble, generous man who gave quietly, but generously to charities and individuals in need. Ed was a member of Saint Bernadette's Parish for over 50 years, he was an active member at Lakewood Country Club. Ed loved travel and history and enjoyed seeing much of the world prior to his death. He loved playing gin rummy with his friends at Lakewood Country Club and getting together on St. Patrick's Day with the old gang from the oil industry and anyone with the Irish spirit. Ed loved his Irish heritage and his family. He always stayed true to his Kansas roots and valued visits with his family and relatives from Kansas. Nicknamed Eddie Crocker by his daughter in law, Ed also enjoyed cooking and loved making cakes for his children and grandchildren. Ed most of all loved family and was generous and kind to all. He is deeply loved and missed by his wife, Rita as well as his children and grandchildren: Karen Garr (Tony) Brennan, (Roni), and Brady; Katie Altman (Don Hoffmann), Amy (Keith), and Jacquie; Colleen Hannen (Tom), Maureen (Christian) and Megan; B.J. O'Hara (Sheri) Haley, McKenzie, and Abby; Brian O'Hara (Shannon) Kylee, and Katelyn. He was thrilled when his great granddaughter, Sophia, was born in December of 2014 to his grandson Brennan and wife Roni. He enjoyed camping, fishing, playing golf, basketball or impressing his children with flips off the diving board or scaring them on Halloween night with his famous wolf mask. He will be remembered as a great husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. A celebration of his life will be held at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church in Lakewood, Colorado on Thursday July 21 at 10:30am with a reception to follow at Lakewood Country Club. He will be interred at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in St. Paul, Kansas on Saturday July 23rd with a reception to follow at St. Francis Catholic Church Hall. Donations can be made in his honor to ""The Childrens Hospital of Colorado""