Joan O'Brien Ernst

1928 - 2022

Joan O'Brien Ernst died on May 19, 2022 in Annapolis. She was born in 1928 in Chevy Chase, Md., the third of four children to Col. James A. O'Brien and Lota Bokel O'Brien. Educated at The Noroton School of the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Noroton, CT, she graduated from Catholic University in 1954, did graduate work at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and received her masters degree in Library Science from McGill University in Montreal. After working for many years at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, Joan married Edward C. Ernst in 1970 and settled in Annapolis. Joan - always pronounced "Joanne" - began her real estate career in Annapolis, working for Chris Coile Realty. Later she joined Church Circle Realty. Joan served on the board of the Hammond Harwood House, and was a member of Four Rivers Garden Club. A devout Catholic, Joan was lifelong member of St. Mary's Church and her unshakable faith kept her going into her 94th year. She was one of the original volunteers for the Mary Garden behind St. Mary's Church and an original volunteer in divine devotion to the Holy Eucharist at The Perpetual Adoration Chapel. Joan loved animals of all kinds - after her beloved Irish Terriers Annie and Kelly died, she welcomed cats into her life. For many years she fed all of the homeless cats in the Ferry Farms neighborhood. She did not discriminate and was known to have fed a fox or two. For many of her 94 summers she enjoyed spending time breathing the sea air and cool breezes at her house in Cape May. Joan was predeceased by her husband, three siblings and is survived by five nieces and nephews and many loyal friends. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. Friends and family are invited to a Requiem Mass at St. Mary's Church on Friday, July 8, at 10:30 am with a reception immediately following. An online guest book is available at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com