Joan L. O’Brien
Retired Tewksbury Hospital Administrative Assistant
TEWKSBURY: Joan Louise (Donlon) O’Brien, age 79, a Chelmsford resident for the past 4 years, and a former 40 year member of the Tewksbury community, passed away at the Blaire House of Tewksbury on Friday, January 6, 2017.
She was the loving mother of Kevin J. O’Brien, who died tragically in a car accident on September 16, 1990.
Born in Boston on September 2, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Donlon and Lillian (Arsenault) Donlon.
Joan was raised in Allston-Brighton area of Boston. She graduated from Brighton High School in 1955.
Prior to her retirement in 2010, she was employed as an administrative assistant in the Maintenance Department at the Tewksbury State Hospital, where she worked for 26 years. She enjoyed working with her beloved boss Billy, who gave her the nickname “Joanzie”.
Joan loved traveling to the Mohegan Sun Casino to play the slot machines.
She had a dry and sassy sense of humor. Joan loved her daily Dunkin iced coffee and Papa Gino’s chicken wings but most of all, she enjoyed attending the last 26 years of her beloved son Kevin’s Memorial Golf Tournaments. These yearly events meant the world to her. The tournaments are organized by some of Kevin’s closest friends, who have kept his memory alive for her. She was able to attend the 26th annual event this past August, for this, our family is eternally grateful.
She is survived by her four children, Donald O’Brien, James O’Brien, Michelle (O’Brien) MacDonald and her fiancé Mark Luby, and Scott O’Brien; her five grandchildren, Kevin MacDonald, Kevin, Kiley, Max and Alex O’Brien; One sister, Shirley Sullivan and many beloved nieces, nephews and extended family members.
She was predeceased by her sisters Jean Doyle (her identical twin) and Doris MacDonald, as well as her brother Joseph Donlon.
Calling hours are Wednesday, Jan. 11, from 4-7 p.m. at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee St., Tewksbury. Her funeral will begin on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by her Funeral Mass at 11:30 a.m. at St. Williams Church, 1351 Main St., Rte. 38, Tewksbury. Interment at Tewksbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Kevin J. O’Brien Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o TD Bank 995 Main St., Tewksbury, MA 01876.