Obituary of Doreen O'Brien

Died of a rare heart ailment on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at St. Mary's General Hospital. Born on February 14, 1938 in Montreal, Quebec, the only child of Kenneth and Kathleen (Broadhurst) Dorion. She was a graduate of The Montreal General Hospital School of Nursing, class of '59. In June of that year, John O'Brien and Doreen Dorion were married in St. Adele, Quebec. Extensive travel resulted in journalizing, photographing and researching far-flung parts of the world. She was an avid skier in her youth, a much less-than-par golfer in her adulthood. Golf companions might say she exhibited childlike behaviour when the putts failed to drop. She enjoyed reading, World and National news, particularly "letters to the Editor". She found humour in the ironies of everyday life; Canadian politics fascinated her. She was a member of Westmount Golf and Country Club, Kitchener Heritage Probus and a past volunteer of the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery. She enjoyed helping friends and community when she saw a need. Her family was very precious to her and husband John has been loved, cherished and admired for 53 wonderful years. She leaves behind Dr. John R. O'Brien; sons, Kenneth John O'Brien (Ruth Weiner) of Toronto, Gavin Robert O'Brien (Carolyn Shartner O'Brien) of Bolton; daughter, Kathleen O'Brien of Ottawa; grandson, John Cutland; granddaughters, Anna Cutland, Erin and Stephanie O'Brien; as well as her sister-in-law, Dorothy Pratt of Ottawa. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses of St. Mary's Regional Cardiac Care for compassionate, competent care, in particular, Dr. A. Almanfud and Dr. Y. LeClerc. Doreen's family will receive friends at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Friday, October 26 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. The memorial service will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 11 a.m. A reception will immediately follow in the funeral home's Fireside Reception Room. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Grand River Hospital Foundation or the St. Mary's Hospital Foundation may be arranged by contacting the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.