Obituary of Mary Theresa O'Brien

Mary Theresa O'Brien nee: McDermott, age 88 of the Southgate Health Care Center, Carney's Point, NJ, formerly of Pennsville, died July 1, 2015 after a long illness. Mary Theresa was the first child of Sarah (Murphy) and Daniel McDermott of Wilmington, DE. She was born in the newly opened St Francis Hospital and raised in the city of Wilmington. She graduated from the old Wilmington High School. She graduated from the Delaware Hospital School of Nursing and was a member the United States Cadet Nurse Corp, a government organization established to help meet the need for nurses for the military during WWII. The early part of her nursing career was spent as a private duty nurse. She also worked for the Pennsville Visiting NursesAssociation and then the Salem County Nursing Home. Terry met her husband-to-be, Eugene O'Brien of Salem, NJ, at the Riverview Beach Park Roller Skating Rink. When he was discharged from the Navy and she had graduated from Nursing School, they were married in St Thomas the Apostle Church in Wilmington, DE. The couple resided in Pennsville, NJ, throughout their marriage. Their first child, a daughter named Kathleen, was followed by a son, Michael. Mrs. O'Brien was predeceased by her husband, Gene, in 1978. Besides her children, Kathleen (Darrel) Glunt and Michael (Nancy) O'Brien, she is survived by a brother, Francis McDermott, of Wilmington, and four grandsons, Michael Taylor (Susan) of Alloway, Patrick Taylor of Florida, Sean (Jaime) O'Brien of Woodstown, and Kevin O'Brien of Pennsville. There are also four great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins surviving in the Wilmington area. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 AM on Wednesday July 8, at Queen of Apostles Church in Pennsville, NJ where friends are invited to call from 10:00 to 11:00 prior to the Mass. There will be no viewing. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in Terry's name be made to Queen of Apostles Church, S.Broadway, Pennsville NJ, 08070 or to the charity of your choice. www.laughreyfuneralhome.com