Brightwood resident, Kathleen M. O’Brien, passed away at her home on Wednesday, January 24th with her family at her side. She was 66.
Kathy was born on June 23rd, 1951 in Portland to Paul Francis O’Brien and Blythe Irene Holmes of Omaha, Nebraska.
Kathy graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1969 and went on to graduate from OHSU Nursing School.
Her first nursing job was at St. Charles Hospital in Bend.
In 1975, Kathy came back to Portland to take positions as Head Nurse and Nursing Supervisor at Physicians and Surgeons until the facility closed in 1984. She then moved to Cannon Beach and became the Home Health Supervisor at Seaside General until 1987.
For the next few years, Kathy worked at Pacific Gateway as Resident Care Manager of the Robison Jewish Home until 1994.
From 1994 – 1999 Kathy put her nursing career on hold so that she could move to Brightwood to be the primary care giver to both her parents. During this time, Kathy became an avid bird watcher while caring for her parents until they were both gone in 1999.
Kathy never married and she had no children. She always had a book in her hand and her dogs at her side. Her favorite place in the whole world was Disneyland. She loved musicals and she would turn the songs up very loud and pretend that she was the conductor, in private, of course.
Kathy traveled with friends to New York to attend plays and further abroad to England, Ireland, Egypt, Jerusalem and a recent trip to Hawaii. Kathy loved to walk the woods surrounding her home with her Irish walking stick and her sister by her side. And the dogs too.
In 1999, Kathy returned to nursing by joining the team at Sandy Hospice. She served her community with compassion and humor and a never ending desire to care for others. You may have seen her stirring those noodles at the Sandy Mountain Days Hospice booth every July. Or better yet, hopefully you saw her performance with her friends as the tap dancing nuns!!
Kathy worked as a Hospice nurse for the last 18 years, until her death. She is survived by her sister Tess O’Brien-Jensen of Beaverton and her 2 nephews Evan Jensen and Cameron Jensen and her dog Ellie.
A private memorial service will be held at her home at a later date.