Della O'Brien
Della O'Brien
Della O'Brien
Della O'Brien
Della O'Brien

Obituary of Della M. O'Brien

Della M. O’Brien, age 101, passed away April 20, 2019 in Olympia, Washington.  She was born November 26, 1917 to Florence (Reinhold) Mahan and Warner A. Mahan in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania.  Della lived in Butler (Meridian) for most of her married life.  After Bob passed away, she moved to New Haven Court in Butler. At the age of 97, she moved to Olympia, where she lived at Woodland Assisted Living and finally at Magnolia Woods Adult Family Home where she received the most compassionate and loving care.

 

Della graduated from Butler Senior High.  She married Robert E. O’Brien on November 16, 1942 in Butler.  She worked as an office clerk for Metropolitan Life for 20 years.

 

Being a volunteer was a big part of who Della was. She was always a helper. She manned the voter polls for many years, and was inducted into the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame in 1996 by Senator Tim Shaffer.  She also was a longtime volunteer at St. Vincent DePaul, and Meals on Wheels.  She was a member of Christian Mothers with St. Fidelis Parish in Meridian, Pennsylvania. Her favorite activity was working the dessert table at the St. Fidelis Lenten Fish Fries.  She called herself and her buddies the “cut-up girls.”

 

Della loved her Irish heritage.  If you asked, “How are you?” the reply was always, “Fine like the Irish!”  Her favorite phrase of all was “God Bless You.”  God truly did bless Della.

 

She is survived by her son, Thomas E. O’Brien of Leesville, Louisiana; daughter, Martha M. O’Brien-Sheldon of Olympia; six grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her husband, Robert E. O’Brien (Nov. 12, 2007); sons, James A. O’Brien (Mar. 24, 2013), Joseph O’Brien as infant (1956); daughters, Jeanne L. O’Brien (Mar. 30, 1969), Mary Anne O’Brien as infant (1952); brother, Alvin Mahan; and sisters, Viola Mahan (Smith) and Mildred Mahan.

 

Services will be handled through Geibel Funeral Home in Butler and will take place at a later date in the summer.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Della O'Brien, please visit Tribute Store

Services

..will take place at a later date in Butler, Pennsylvania, through Geibel Funeral Home.
Share Your Memory of
Della