
Melissa Rae (Canto) O’Leary, 38
Melissa Rae (Canto) O’Leary, 38, passed away on Aug. 25, 2022, at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry. In death, Melissa would go on to save lives through organ donation. Melissa was born in Woodstock on Jan.27, 1984, to Reynaldo and Elisa Canto. She attended St. Mary Catholic School and Woodstock High School. Even in her youth, Melissa knew she wanted to make the world a better place. She received a Bachelor of Arts in education from Northern Illinois University in 2006 and began her career as a special education teacher. Melissa transitioned to work as a school social worker after earning a Master’s of Social Work from George Williams College of Aurora University in 2016. She worked for Woodstock School





