Laura O'Malley

Feb 17, 1952 -

Feb 18, 2023

Laura O'Malley, 71, of Olmsted Falls, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Feb. 18, 2023. She was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on Feb. 17, 1952. She was older by 10 minutes than her fraternal twin, Sally. Laura was the fifth child in a family of nine children of the late Dr. James O'Malley and Dr. Virginia Wright.

Upon graduating from West Anchorage High School in 1970, she followed the advice of her mentor, George Hayes, venturing east to attend Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Following her graduation in 1974, she began her career with the FAA as an air transportation systems specialist, specializing in radio navigation and communications. Ever a trailblazer, she was among the first women in this field, and her outstanding performance was recognized with numerous awards and honors.

Though Laura lived many years in Ohio, she was very proud to be an O'Malley from Alaska. She often joked that no one came to visit her in Cleveland, but she came west to gather with family and friends at Thanksgiving and during the summer.

Laura loved a good book and often volunteered at the local library to help children with their reading. She was known for her Christmas boxes filled with homemade fudge, chocolate buckeyes, beautiful handcrafted ornaments, and - as part of a family tradition - a bayberry candle.

Laura was deeply loved and will be dearly missed. She is survived by her beloved husband, Gerald A. Manning; son, David Bakos; daughters, Colleen (Donne) Kim, Katie (Andrew) Marley and Alaina (James) Wagner; grandchildren, Michael and Bryan Kim, Luke Gray, Elizabeth and John Wagner; sisters and brothers, Molly O'Malley, Barbara O'Malley, Dr. James O'Malley (Elizabeth), Peggy Peabody (Max), Sally O'Malley (Harold), Tommy O'Malley (Terry), Ruth O'Malley and Robert O'Malley (Sayaka); many nieces and nephews; extended family; and dear friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; and daughter, Maura Virginia Bakos.

Visitation and memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Sunset Funeral Chapel, 6245 Columbia Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070; Visitation will be from 12-2 p.m., and Service at 2 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held in Anchorage in summer 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Laura's honor to Doctors Without Borders, donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.