Brigid (McBrien) O'Connor

Waltham – Mrs. Brigid (McBrien) O'Connor, of Waltham, died Thursday, June 18, 2015 at Maristhill Nursing Home in Waltham. She was 77.

Brigid was born in County Cavan, Ireland on February 2, 1938, a daughter of the late Terence and Catherine (McAfee) McBrien, and immigrated to the United States when she was eighteen. She settled in Brighton where she entered the convent to continue her studies and to discern if she had a vocation to religious life. The answer came after she met and fell in love with Galway native Michael O'Connor and after their courtship the pair married on August 26, 1961. They settled in Brighton and nine years later moved to Waltham where they raised their family and enjoyed forty-nine years of marriage until Mike's death on October 26, 2010.

Bridie, as she was affectionately known to family and friends, worked hard to raise her family and in later years found great delight helping neighborhood seniors and volunteering at Maristhill. When her kids were young she and Mike frequently took them on trips to Nantasket Beach in Hull, Weirs Beach in New Hampshire and Jamaica Pond closer to home.

She leaves her children, James M. O'Connor, Kevin J. O'Connor and his wife, Jeannine, all of Waltham, Terence F. O'Connor and his partner, Mark Fraga, of Everett and Paul V. O'Connor and his wife, Sarah, of Woburn; her grandchildren, Jessica Crusco, Colleen, Ryan, Camren, Hunter, Devin, Aidan and Gavin O'Connor; her great-grandson, Conor Crusco; her brothers and sister, James McBrien of Randolph, John Patrick McBrien and Mary Agnes Doyle, both of Dublin, Ireland and many nieces and nephews.

Brigid was also the mother of the late John O'Connor and a sister of the late Rose McBrien, Mary "Pat" Murphy and Bernadette Hyland.

Family and friends will honor and remember Brigid's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Tuesday, June 23rd from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.