1930
Gretchen
2012
Gretchen O'Hara
November 13, 1930 — April 24, 2012
Waltham – Mrs. Gretchen (Winkel) O'Hara, of Waltham, died Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at her home. She was 81.
Gretchen was born in Waltham on November 13, 1930, a daughter of the late Leo J. and Margaret (McCusker) Winkel, and was a graduate of Saint Mary's High School in Waltham and the Katherine Gibbs School. She married Chicago native Curtis P. O'Hara on June 17, 1954 and lived for a brief time in Chicago before returning to Waltham.
Afflicted since infancy with polio, Gretchen lived a full, determined and accomplished life, raising seven children with Curt at their Waltham home. She immersed herself in the duties and responsibilities of motherhood and spent a lifetime of involvement with her children and later with her growing family of thirteen grandchildren.
In addition to her husband of 58 years she leaves her 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; her grandchildren, John, Ryan, Patrick, Amy, Brendan, Christopher, Abigail, Allison, Michaela and Joseph O'Hara, Meg and Molly Palmer and Kelly Downey; her brother, Leo Winkel and his wife, Mary Jane 'Midge', of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey; and several nieces, nephews and cousins including Jane McCusker of Waltham.
Gretchen was also the sister of the late Mary O'Brien and her husband Henry.
Family and friends will honor and remember Gretchen's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, April 29th, from 3 to 7 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Monday 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 Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.
Memorial donations may be made to Saint Jude School, 175 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02453.
Gretchen was born in Waltham on November 13, 1930, a daughter of the late Leo J. and Margaret (McCusker) Winkel, and was a graduate of Saint Mary's High School in Waltham and the Katherine Gibbs School. She married Chicago native Curtis P. O'Hara on June 17, 1954 and lived for a brief time in Chicago before returning to Waltham.
Afflicted since infancy with polio, Gretchen lived a full, determined and accomplished life, raising seven children with Curt at their Waltham home. She immersed herself in the duties and responsibilities of motherhood and spent a lifetime of involvement with her children and later with her growing family of thirteen grandchildren.
In addition to her husband of 58 years she leaves her 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; her grandchildren, John, Ryan, Patrick, Amy, Brendan, Christopher, Abigail, Allison, Michaela and Joseph O'Hara, Meg and Molly Palmer and Kelly Downey; her brother, Leo Winkel and his wife, Mary Jane 'Midge', of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey; and several nieces, nephews and cousins including Jane McCusker of Waltham.
Gretchen was also the sister of the late Mary O'Brien and her husband Henry.
Family and friends will honor and remember Gretchen's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, April 29th, from 3 to 7 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Monday 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 Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.
Memorial donations may be made to Saint Jude School, 175 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02453.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gretchen O'Hara, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Sunday, April 29, 2012
3:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)
Joyce Funeral Home
Funeral Mass
Monday, April 30, 2012
Starts at 10:30 am (Eastern time)
Saint Jude Church
Guestbook
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