JOAN REILLY O'BRIEN

O'BRIEN, Joan Reilly Of Arlington, formerly of County Kerry, Ireland, died Sunday, November 9, 2014. The indomitable Mrs. O'Brien had gorgeous blue eyes and a quick wit that would light up a room, as well as a sense of truth and justice that could turn that same room on its head. Never living a day she could not meet head on, Mrs. O'Brien was a woman of the times, if not ahead of the times. She paved the way for women in the workplace, began the fight against cigarette smoking in 1964, and always rocked the current fashions. She embraced continuing education, becoming a first-rate cake decorator as well as keen news commentator. As a young emigre from Ireland in Cambridge, in the early 1950s, Mrs. O'Brien met another hard-working, good-humored emigre from Ireland, Pat O'Brien (who died in 2012). When Mr. O'Brien left to serve in the Korean War, Mrs. O'Brien advised him: "Make sure you duck!" He returned to marry her in 1954. Over their 58 years together, Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien raised four children: Patricia (D'Antonio), Richard, Kevin, and Caroline. Mrs. O'Brien worked tirelessly to enable her children to attend parochial schools, fine colleges, and graduate schools (specifically, Boston College, Harvard, and University of Pennsylvania.) While Mrs. O'Brien impressed upon her children the necessity of doing well in school and obtaining good jobs, she only really wanted them to be secure and happy in this world and the next. She knew they had achieved just that as her grandchildren, Frank (D'Antonio), Courtney, Matthew, Jay, Allison, and Elizabeth, were born, witnessing her children's great parenting skills and love. Furthermore, each grandchild brought her great joy. Although Mrs. O'Brien loved her family best, her tenderest attention was reserved for the family pets. She was the caregiver to all the fish, birds, and gerbils brought home by her children. Her dogs, Irish, Shannon I, and Shannon II, were her steadfast partners in facing the challenges of daily life. In addition to her children and grandchildren, Mrs. O'Brien is survived by son?in-law Joseph D'Antonio, and daughters-in-law Pamela O'Brien and Rosa Crum. Friends are invited to say "fare well" to Mrs. O'Brien and express condolences to her family at the O'Brien home located at 105 Oakland Avenue, in Arlington, Wednesday, November 12, 6pm-8pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Church, 68 O'Connell Way, Boston, on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 10 am. The Mass will be followed by a private burial. www.lawlerfuneralhome.com