Rosemary
Rosemary Leary
d. January 27, 2017
Rosemary Conrad Leary, 73, died at home in Santa Fe, NM on January 27, 2017 under hospice care after courageously battling cancer for more than 12 years. She was born in Waterbury, Connecticut but moved when she was one year old to Los Alamos, NM where her father started working on the Manhattan Project. Except for three pre-teen years back in Connecticut she lived in Los Alamos until 1978 when she met her second husband, James Leary and then left for Rochester, NY where both she and Jim worked at the University of Rochester for 16 years from 1978-1994. She then moved with Jim first to Galveston, Texas, for 10 years and then to West Lafayette, Indiana for another 10 years where her husband became a Professor at Purdue University. They lived together in Indiana until her husband’s retirement in August, 2015. They then moved back to her beloved New Mexico in September, 2015.
In addition to family she had an exciting and fulfilling career first as a scientific programmer and data analyst on a magnetic fusion project at Los Alamos National Lab and later on laser fusion research at the University of Rochester. Later she became a computer network manager first at the University of Rochester and later at Galveston College in Galveston, Texas, after her husband, Jim, took a position as Professor at UTMB in Galveston. She then served as an Administrator of the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Galveston and was involved in many Fellowship activities. During this time she also served with dedication for many years as President of the League of Women Voters for the Greater Galveston area.
Rosemary was a loving and supportive wife and mother and stepmother to four children, Charles Amsden, Elaine Amsden, Selena Leary, and Michael Leary and grandmother to 6 grandchildren Veronica Amsden Holcomb, Nicholas Amsden, Adrianna Amsden, Case Amsden, Harper Leary and Jack Leary, great-grandson Matthew Holcomb all of whom survive her as well as her first husband, Tony Amsden of Los Alamos, and current husband, James Leary, of Santa Fe. Her parents, preceding her in death, were Helen Atwood Conrad and Walter Barrington Conrad, formerly of Los Alamos.
In September, 2015 Rosemary and her husband Jim moved back to New Mexico after 38 years, settling in Santa Fe. Unfortunately her cancer returned at the beginning of 2016 and now proved impossible to treat effectively. On Christmas Eve, 2016 she entered home hospice care.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Fe in March at a time when family and friends from around the country can attend.
In addition to family she had an exciting and fulfilling career first as a scientific programmer and data analyst on a magnetic fusion project at Los Alamos National Lab and later on laser fusion research at the University of Rochester. Later she became a computer network manager first at the University of Rochester and later at Galveston College in Galveston, Texas, after her husband, Jim, took a position as Professor at UTMB in Galveston. She then served as an Administrator of the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Galveston and was involved in many Fellowship activities. During this time she also served with dedication for many years as President of the League of Women Voters for the Greater Galveston area.
Rosemary was a loving and supportive wife and mother and stepmother to four children, Charles Amsden, Elaine Amsden, Selena Leary, and Michael Leary and grandmother to 6 grandchildren Veronica Amsden Holcomb, Nicholas Amsden, Adrianna Amsden, Case Amsden, Harper Leary and Jack Leary, great-grandson Matthew Holcomb all of whom survive her as well as her first husband, Tony Amsden of Los Alamos, and current husband, James Leary, of Santa Fe. Her parents, preceding her in death, were Helen Atwood Conrad and Walter Barrington Conrad, formerly of Los Alamos.
In September, 2015 Rosemary and her husband Jim moved back to New Mexico after 38 years, settling in Santa Fe. Unfortunately her cancer returned at the beginning of 2016 and now proved impossible to treat effectively. On Christmas Eve, 2016 she entered home hospice care.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Fe in March at a time when family and friends from around the country can attend.
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