Doris Cox O'Brien

Born August 28, 1924 in West End, Moore County, NC, she was the oldest daughter of Frank Sloan and Catherine McKenzie Cox. Doris was preceded in death by her loving husband, Dr. Paul S. O'Brien; her brothers, Frank Sloan Cox, Jr. and Richard Cox, both of West End; and her sister, Jean Cox Scheppegrell of Charlotte.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen O'Brien Winkler and her fiancé, Paul Smith, both of Bethlehem, PA, and her son, Wayne Paul O'Brien of Charlotte, and all of her nieces and nephews.

Doris was a good student, graduating from West End High School before going on to business college. It was on a trip home to West End from her job in West Virginia that Doris met Paul, then a handsome young soldier headed back to Ft. Bragg. It was wartime and their bus was overcrowded, so the two of them shared sitting on a suitcase. At the rest stop, Paul got out and bought her an apple. They were married six months later.

After moving to Charlotte, Doris was an active homemaker and volunteer, helping in a wide range of ways, from being a candy striper at Presbyterian Hospital, a Deacon at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, a volunteer in the Nature Museum's Hall of Health, to serving as a member of the Florence Crittenton Home Auxiliary and in the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment, where she was President.

Doris and Paul enjoyed many trips and adventures, traveling with their close friends to Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. She was a wonderful cook who loved entertaining her friends. She enjoyed her Garden Club, and celebrated being a member of a long-time bridge club, started in the '50's, whose members became very close, life-long friends.

There will be a Celebration of Doris's Life in the sanctuary of Myers Park Presbyterian Church at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14th, with a reception following the service.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to one of the following charities, The Florence Crittenton Home, PO Box 36392, Charlotte, NC 28236; The Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment, Inc., 1112 Harding Place, Ste. 200, Charlotte, NC 28204; or Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Place, Charlotte, NC 28207.

Harry & Bryant of Charlotte is serving the family,

www.harryandbryantfuneralhome.com