Cynthia (Orr) O’Brien, 68, formerly of Medway, died on March 6th, 2013, after a courageous and lengthy battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family when she passed away peacefully at her home in Dennis.
Cindy, as she was known to all, spent her childhood in Huntington, NY and Princeton, NJ. After graduating from Trenton High School, she attended George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, TN. She then went on to get her associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Endicott College, in Beverly.
In addition to what she considered her most important job of raising three sons, Cindy worked in a number of fields. Early in her career, she worked in the publishing industry for Houghton-Mifflin Publishing Co., and was an administrative assistant at Boston College. She also spent eight years as the coaches’ secretary for her beloved New England Patriots. She later worked as a teaching assistant in the Integrated Preschool in Medway.
Cindy was a life-long volunteer. In the 1990’s, she served as a Cub Scout Den Mother and volunteered as a one-on-one aide for special needs students in the Medway Public School System. She also worked in the office of the Medway Middle School, was a member of the Medway Middle School Council, served as director of the Medway Middle School Ski Program, and helped on many of the musical productions at Medway High School. She served as Treasurer of The Catholic Daughters Association of America and taught CCD at St. Joseph’s Parish.
In her spare time, Cindy was an avid reader and beach-lover. She loved dogs, especially her precious Colby Jean, Bonkers and her grandpuppies, Cajun and Sammi.. and of course, Sunny. She enjoyed playing Dominoes, Bunko and Canasta with her friends and family. Recently she became involved in the Dennis-Yarmouth Newcomer’s Club, enjoying many new-found friends and activities.
Cindy is survived by her husband of 40 years, James Joseph O’Brien (Bunch), and three sons, Cory James of Medway, Colin Joseph of Cumberland, RI and Conor Paul of Boston. Also mourning their loss are her sister, Pamela O. Marck of Falmouth, her brother, Paul E. Orr, III of Hodgenville, KY, Colin’s wife, Dr. Jill Tremblay O’Brien and Conor’s fiancée, Emily Johnson of Boston.
She was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Dugal Guy Campbell and Sara Frances Rickard of NY; paternal grandparents, Paul E. Orr and Seabie Adams Orr of Atlanta, and her parents, Paul E. Orr, Jr. and Margaret Campbell Orr of Princeton, NJ.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, 151 Village St. in Medway on Friday, March 15 at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 4 – 8 p.m. in the Ginley Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber St. in Medway (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com).
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Cindy’s honor may be sent to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445.
LYMI