Obituary of Bruce P. O'Dea

Bruce Patrick O’Dea, 68 passed away on April 17, 2023 at Ellis Hospital, after a long battle with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Bruce was born in Albany, NY and raised by Irish Catholic parents, Betty and Leo O’Dea. Bruce attended Holy Cross Catholic School and then graduated from Guilderland Central High School in 1973. He resided with his family in Guilderland, until he found his roots in Duanesburg, NY where he lived for more than 40 years. Bruce absolutely loved country living. He met his life partner, Carlie Coolidge, who predeceased him. Together they took care of her mother, the farm property, and worked on many projects for over 20 years. They loved their Harley Davison’s and bike trips with friends. Bruce excelled at being an auto mechanic. He loved cars, could fix anything and was an engineer at heart. He was a self-taught big truck mechanic and was an independent truck owner/operator for over 20 years. Bruce loved fast cars, especially Corvettes and it was a dream come true when he finally owned one of his own. He was an expert on fixing and rebuilding them. Bruce was a self-starter, and an independent force of nature. Once he had a plan, nothing could stop him. Don’t tell Bruce he was wrong; he would argue until eternity. He was quick witted, fun and had a heart of gold. Bruce’s dry sense of humor and great storytelling made him many friends. Sadly, Bruce and his brother Greg (who predeceased him) inherited the PKD gene from their mother. Bruce struggled doing dialysis 3 times a week while still working. He hated sitting still and gave it his all to keep living. He was a stubborn, independent guy, who refused to give up or give in to his medical issues. He demanded to continue living on his own, doing what he loved and taking care of his cats. The man just could not stop. Eventually, 10 years of dialysis was not something he could do anymore. He gave it his all but made the choice to stop and go on his own terms. He died peacefully, knowing his family and friends would carry on. Bruce is survived by his adoring sister Sharon Leddick, and his brother-in-law Bob Leddick, who have supported Bruce emotionally and physically for over 40 years. Bruce is also survived by a niece, Meghan Leddick (Brandon Wright), and a nephew, Darron Leddick, whom he adored and loved to boss around like they were his own. Bruce has a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins, 2nd cousins and 3rd cousins. In addition, Bruce had many friends that he considered family, throughout the years, notably, Chris & Deb Carpenter, Frank Webber, Harley Thayer, Marty and Donna Hebert, Ronnie Leto, Tom Lajeunesse, and many, many others. Bruce’s wishes were honored, and he was cremated. A funeral mass will take place on Saturday, May13,2023, at 10:30 AM at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Latham, with a celebration immediately following. Donations in Bruce’s name may be made to the Duanesburg Volunteer Ambulance, 130 Cole Road, Delanson, NY 12053