Obituary of Mary Jane O'Brien

Mary Jane (McCurry) O’Brien, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and daughter died peacefully in her sleep at the UCONN Medical Center in Farmington after a brief illness with cancer on Monday September 7, 2020.

She was born on December 18, 1943 in Manchester, CT to the late Frederick and Marion (Apel) McCurry.  Mary Jane was a lifelong resident of Manchester, attended local schools and graduated from Manchester High School, Class of 1961.  Mary Jane earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Springfield College, Class of 1965.

While on college breaks, Mary Jane worked at the Coca Cola Bottling company in East Hartford where she met her husband to be.  She taught for several years at Hubbard School in Middletown, CT prior to raising her family.  She went on to teach for many years at Chestnut Hill Preschool and she retired in 2002 from the State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services.

She was predeceased by her brother Conrad H. McCurry and her parents Frederick and Marion McCurry.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, William R. O’Brien, her sister Barbara Panagy and brother in law, Andrew Panagy of Farmington, CT and her brother Frederick McCurry and sister in law Cheryl McCurry of Ortley Beach, NJ.  Mary is also survived by her son, David O’Brien of Manchester and three daughters, Barbara O’Brien Crockwell and her husband Jack of Manchester, Beth O’Brien of Manchester and Ann O’Brien of Manchester.  She is also survived by her 4 grandchildren, Brenna, Riley, Shannon and Michael Crockwell of Manchester.

Funeral Services will be September 14th at 11am at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, followed by burial in East Cemetery in Manchester, CT.  Family and friends may call at the Funeral home from 2-5pm on Sunday September 13^th and from 10-11am on Monday September 14^th.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Manchester Scholarship Foundation Conrad “Connie” McCurry Memorial and the Marion and Frederick McCurry Memorial or the American Diabetes or American Cancer societies.  For online condolences please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.