Curtis P. O'Hara

Waltham's Curt O'Hara will long be remembered for at least two things . . . taking really good care of his wife and kids . . . and being born to be in the restaurant business.

He'd be proudest of the former but really happy that he was able to do what he loved doing for a living.

Working long hours came easy to Curt. It wasn't uncommon for him to open in the morning and close at night . . . weekends included . . . days off were reserved for family occasions that were can't miss events.

He was fiercely loyal to his family and his friends and was as generous a guy as you'll ever come across. His imposing stature gave him the advantage in any meeting . . . hardly anyone ever crossed him . . . but his gentle nature, warm smile and twinkling eyes soon told the story of his kind and unwaveringly honest character.

Curtis P. O'Hara died Sunday, September 25, 2016 at his Waltham home. He was 84.

Curt was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 25, 1932, the oldest of six children born to the late Oren and Monica O'Hara, and after graduating from high school began working as a buyer's assistant for Sears, Roebuck & Company at their flagship store on South Homan Avenue in Chicago.

The Korean War interrupted his career in retail and in 1952 Curt joined the United States Coast Guard and was assigned to the Coast Guard Station in Boston. Four months after his discharge from the service he married the love of his life, Waltham native Gretchen Winkel, in Saint Mary's Church in Waltham. Following a year living in Chicago the pair moved to Waltham in 1955 where they became lifelong residents.

Curt and Gretchen were married for fifty-eight years until her death on April 24, 2012.

Soon after their move back to Waltham Curt took a job with the Finnerty family whose well-known Wayland restaurant became his second home and training ground for thirty-one years.

On the 29th of April in 1985 his lifelong dream of opening his own place became a reality when O'Hara's on Walnut Street in Newton Highlands opened its doors. Seventeen years later a second location, Paddy's Pub, was opened on Elm Street in West Newton.

Curt was a member of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

When his working days slowed down he took up golf, a game he thoroughly enjoyed, and loved vacationing with his family at Sebago Lake in Maine.

He leaves his children, Timothy L. O'Hara of Waltham, Maria 'Molly' Straqualursi and her husband, Anthony, of Laconia, New Hampshire, John M. O'Hara and his wife, Barbara, of Waltham, Curtis P. 'Biff' O'Hara, Jr. and his wife, Nicole, of Kingston, New Hampshire, Gretchen E. 'Beth' Palmer and her husband, Timothy, Kate Downey and her husband, J, and Karl J. O'Hara and his wife, Barbara, all of Waltham; his grandchildren, John, Ryan, Patrick, Amy, Brendan, Christopher, Abigail, Allison, Michaela and Joseph O'Hara, Meg and Molly Palmer and Kelly Downey; his brothers and sister, Dennis O'Hara and his wife, Christine, and Michael O'Hara, all of Illinois, Kate O'Hara of California; his brother and sister-in-law, Leo Winkel and his wife, Mary Jane 'Midge', of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey and several nieces and nephews.

Curt was also a brother of the late Donna Matthews and Wayne O'Hara and brother-in-law of the late Mary and Henry O'Brien.

Family and friends will honor and remember Curt's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Wednesday, September 28th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 8 a.m. on Thursday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Mary's Church, 133 School Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to Saint Mary's After School Program, 133 School Street, Waltham, MA 02451.

. . . Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.