Joan H. O'Brien

In Loving Memory of Joan H. (Wallace) O'Brien of Watertown, MA October 30, 2025
A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend whose kindness, faith, and gentle spirit touched everyone she met.
Joan H. (Wallace) O'Brien, a former resident of Watertown, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 30th at the home of her daughter Patricia Calioro in Cambridge, MA, the city where Joan was born.
Joan was the beloved wife of the late Eugene T. "OBie" O'Brien, with whom she shared 70 years of love and devotion. She enjoyed life, yet looked forward to the day she would reunite with Obie in heaven. Family meant everything to Joan. She was the proud and loving "Mom" of Joseph and his wife Kathleen of Hanover; Patricia Calioro and her husband Frank of Cambridge; Deborah Scalesse and her husband John of Amesbury; Robert and his wife Maureen of Basking Ridge, NJ; Shawn and his wife Velvet of Albany, NY; James and his wife Brenda of Goffstown, NH; and the late Eugene Jr. and his wife Janet of Salem.
Joan was also an adoring and cherished "Nana" for 22 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her tremendous joy.
She was predeceased by her parents, Helen (Porter) and Willard Wallace and her siblings, Gerald Wallace, Florence Loder, and Willard Wallace.
Joan is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends, especially those from 'Warren Street' the past twenty four years.
Family and friends are invited to gather in celebration of Joan's life at the DeVito Funeral Home, 761 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, on Tuesday at 9 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick Church. Burial will follow in Cambridge Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Monday from 4–7 p.m.
Joan endured many orthopedic challenges throughout her life, including scoliosis, which affects sixteen members of her family over four generations. Therefore, she asked that in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory be made to the National Scoliosis Foundation, 5 Cabot Pl., Suite 5, Stoughton, MA 02072, or online at scoliosis.org/donate.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence for the O'Brien family, please visit www.devitofuneralhome.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan, please visit our floral store.