Barbara G. O'Brien

REHOBOTH – Barbara G. O'Brien, 96 of Rehoboth, MA and Narragansett, RI, formerly of Rumford, RI for many years, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at the Hattie Ide Chaffee Home in Riverside, RI. She was the beloved wife of the late Francis W. "Obie" O'Brien, who passed away on January 21, 1989.
Born on February 3, 1929, in Taunton, MA, she was the loving daughter of Felisberto G. Rocha and Firminia (Vieira) Rocha. Barbara grew up in Taunton and Providence and graduated from Hope High School.
Over the years, Barbara worked in a variety of roles - as a telephone operator, home healthcare aide, and Avon representative - but her most cherished role was that of wife and mother, creating a warm and welcoming home for her family.
A woman of strong Catholic faith, she was a longtime communicant of Our Lady of Loreto Church in East Providence. Barbara had an active mind and many interests. She loved Scrabble, music, and the theater - especially opera, Broadway, and the classic standards - with Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli among her favorites. She was well-known for making the best lemon meringue pie ever.
She was a New England Patriots fan who faithfully tuned in - especially for the second quarter. She enjoyed Peanuts and the Charlie Brown gang, and she was an avid reader throughout her life. Barbara also possessed a true "gift of gab," the kind of person who could step into an elevator and come out with three new friends.
Most importantly, she cherished time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who brought her tremendous joy.
Barbara was predeceased by her loving husband, Francis W. "Obie" O'Brien. She was a devoted mother to Ann Wojcik and her husband Tony, Kathleen O'Brien, Joan Figueira and her husband Harold, Francis W. "Bill" O'Brien, Jr., and MaryAnne Heroux and her husband Steve. She was also the loving mother of her late children, MaryJane O'Brien and Michael J. O'Brien.
She was the proud grandmother of Jeffrey, Jared, Joslin, Todd, Eric, Kelly, Christopher, Stacy, Kayla, Julia, and Joey, and the cherished great-grandmother of Zachary, Jonah, Lyla, Teddy, Phoebe, Tyson, Adrianna, Alex, Parker, Andrew, and Benjamin. Barbara also leaves behind many much-loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Barbara is survived by her sister, Frances Howles. She was predeceased by her siblings: twins Joao & Maria Rocha, PFC US Marine Felisberto G. Rocha Jr., Angelina "Yaya" Marmo, Mary Fontaine, Theresa Mazzone, John Rocha, and Anthony "Tony" Rocha.
Her funeral, to which relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend, will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM from the REBELLO FUNERAL HOME, 901 Broadway, East Providence, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in Our Lady of Loreto Church, 346 Waterman Avenue, East Providence. Interment will follow in the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 301 South County Trail, Exeter. Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Barbara's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org; to the Hattie Ide Chaffee Home, 200 Wampanoag Trail, Riverside, RI 02915 or online at www.hattieidechaffee.org; or to Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, 1010 Hartford Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919 or online at www.osdri.charityproud.org.
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