Bernard O'Brien

On Monday, January 6th, 2014, shortly before his 91st birthday, the extended O'Brien family lost its patriarch and a singular man. An Irish immigrant, he and his wife (Mary) brought his then family of six children to Canada with nothing in his pocket but the heart, character and generosity reserved only for a precious few. Bernie was always mischievous. On one occasion he particularly annoyed his grandmother who then asked his father to discipline him. His father hit him on the bare legs with... some stocks of grass! More than 20 years later, Bernie had this same soft-heartedness when raising his children. A generation later, his children also were generously lenient with their young ones. Isn't this the richest of legacies? Bernie was pre-deceased by his wife Mary O'Sullivan and then his partner, Mary McKinnon. He is survived by his sons Maurice (Carol), Bernard (Lynn), Dermot (Linda), Noel (June), Damien (Angela) and by his daughters Geraldine (Lorne) Gold and Patricia (Tim) Disero. He was treasured by 20 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Friday, January 10th, from 2 – 4 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m. The funeral service will be held at ST. MARY OF THE PEOPLE CATHOLIC CHURCH (570 Marion Ave., Oshawa) on Saturday, January 11th at 11:00 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.