Richard "Dick" O'Hara

Richard “Dick” O’Hara peacefully passed away October 27, 2023, surrounded by his seven children and loving friends. Respected for his keen intellect, genial manner, and warm sense of humor, he blazed trails in labor circles at the law firm he founded in 1963, Colleran, O’Hara & Mills. His numerous labor union clients revered him, continued to seek his counsel until his last days and continue to be represented by his firm today. Dick was a devoted husband to the love of his life, Dolores (née Cunningham) O’Hara, who predeceased him in October 2021 and to whom he was married for 66 years. Together they built a family, a business and a life that set a shining example for their children, grandchildren & great-grandchild. They are now at peace together. Dick was devoutly faithful and immensely proud of his Jesuit education – attending Fordham Preparatory High School, Fordham College, and Fordham Law School. He and his family were a fixture at Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s Church in Roslyn Harbor. Dick was a proud American Veteran who served in the United States Air Force as part of the nascent Strategic Air Command, 307th Bombardment Wing, as the only junior officer on the Wing’s Command Staff. He served in the Korean Conflict from 1952 to 1954, stationed in Okinawa. His tales of the war and time spent with his fellow soldiers always brought laughter and tears. He was awarded both the Presidential Unit Citation and the Korean Theatre Medal and was Honorably Discharged as a Captain in 1954. Dick grew up in the labor movement, the son of Richard L. O’Hara, President of IBEW Local 3 from 1922-1927 and close friend to George Meany, President of the National AFL-CIO. His brother James was a Business Agent for Local 3 for over 50 years and his brother Vincent was an early founder of the Segal Company, a trailblazer in the creation of union benefit plans. His family, Vincent, James, Helen, and Irene and their children greatly benefited from the strength of IBEW Local 3, and they proudly gave everything they had to always support the Union, impacting Local 3 in ways that are still felt today. Dick is credited with numerous amendments to New York’s Labor Law, providing for the merger of Civil Service and Prevailing Wage laws. He shepherded groundbreaking legislation that permitted workers to sue for exposure to toxic substances. He helped to create the fabled Variable Supplemental Annuity Fund for NYC Firefighters. His work on the introduction of Project Labor Agreements in New York has impacted building and construction trades workers for decades. In the US, Mayors and Governors sought and valued his advice and counsel, while in Ireland and Israel he was engaged in labor education and negotiation. Not surprisingly, many of his closest friends were labor leaders, notably Eddie Cleary, Local 3 member and Officer and longtime President of the New York State AFL-CIO. His longevity gave him the privilege of learning from and giving counsel to so many generations of tremendous leaders. From meeting and planning politics with Bobby Kennedy and Ray Corbett, the legendary Ironworkers and AFL CIO President to advising Denis Hughes and Mario Cilento as State AFL CIO Presidents, he treasured his relationship with each. In the Building Trades he spanned the generations from Peter Brennan, former US Secretary of Labor through Edward J. Malloy to its current President, Gary LaBarbara. He appreciated how each was different and each successful in their own way. His forced Covid retirement of the last few years was made easier by the hundreds of lunches and dinners with his labor friends. Dick was a fun-loving, loyal lifetime friend carrying relationships from the Bronx to Massapequa to Shelter Island and finally Roslyn Harbor. While his golf game was by no means perfect, he was a fixture at North Hempstead CC. Dick will most be remembered for his openness, being a confidante and advisor, his friendly wry smile, and quick wit. He was a true Bronx Irish storyteller, with a sense of comedic timing that could have earned him a different career as a short story writer or stand-up comic. He is certainly now regaling family and friends, enjoying a glass of wine and a plate of Osso Bucco. Dick had a strong belief that education was the path to success which drove his volunteerism & philanthropy. He was an active contributor, fundraiser and Board Member at St. Mary’s Parish, Chaminade High School, Fordham Prep, Fordham University and Our Lady of Mercy Academy. He and Dolores helped fund the education of countless children both locally at St. Martin de Porres Marianist School and internationally at varied Third World nation programs. His generosity to his family (O’Hara, McCaffrey, Buckland, Mulligan) as well as to his partners and to those who worked for him was limitless. Dick is predeceased by his wife Dolores and is survived by his seven children: Catherine O’Hara, Richard O’Hara (Annemarie), Therese O’Hara Krebs (Glenn), Christopher O’Hara (Kelly), AnnMarie O’Hara Kinney (Jim), Mary Ellen O’Hara Coyne and Gerard O’Hara (Barbara), and 23 grandchildren whom he loved most of all: Margaret (Alyssa), Helen (Dan), Richard (Anja), Sean (Maggie), Erin, Matthew (Erika), Ryan (Margaret), Brendan, Christopher, Molly, Caitlin, Elizabeth, Caroline, Will, Michaela, Jane, Gillian, Drew, Catherine, Grace, Claire, Annie & Luke - and his first great-grandchild Charlie. We now proudly take on his legacy. Visitation at the Roslyn Heights Funeral Home, 75 Mineola Avenue, Roslyn Heights NY, Tuesday Oct. 31st, 7PM-9PM and Wednesday Nov. 1st, 2 PM-4 PM & 6 PM-8 PM. Mass of Christian Burial St. Mary’s Church, 110 Bryant Avenue, Roslyn Harbor NY Thursday, Nov. 2nd, 10:30 AM. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed at stmarysroslyn.com In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Francis Breadline for the Poor and/or St. Martin de Porres School.