Ernesta “Ness” Gratuito O’Brien, age 54, formerly of Virginia Beach passed away unexpectedly Monday, March 25, 2024. Ness was born to Ernesto Gratuito and Gertrudes Napoles in Manila, Philippines, and was a graduate of Quezon National High School in 1985.
Upon residing in Hampton Roads, Ness was a member of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church for nearly two decades. She enjoyed traveling and has visited numerous countries with Japan and Thailand being her favorites, everywhere she went she loved collecting magnets. She enjoyed cooking all kinds of Filipino cuisines with her favorites being chicken adobo and caldereta. During the summer, she loved catching fish and turtles, feeding the ducks, and watching the sunset at the lake. When she wasn’t singing “Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka” on her Magic Sing karaoke machine, she loved listening to Sharon Cuneta, Basil Valdez, Martin Nievera, and Mariah Carey with “Always Be My Baby” being her favorite song.
In 2001, she married Dennis O’Brien, and together they had two daughters, Kerry and Karla.
A visitation for Ernesta will be held Thursday, April 4, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 N Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462, followed by a celebration of life at 2:00 PM.
