Obituaries

Catherine Chessa O’Brien

Catherine Chessa O’Brien of Southold died suddenly Feb. 4, 2014, at the Hospital for Special Surgery. She was 81.

She was born Feb. 7, 1932, in Greenwich, Conn., to Vittorio and Maria Chessa and became the wife of Thomas M. O’Brien July 3, 1954, in Waterbury, Conn.

Mrs. O’Brien received her Bachelor of Science from Central Connecticut State University in 1953, her Master of Arts from Long Island University in 1970 and an advanced diploma in Montessori from Universita Bergamo in Italy in 1981. She had been a teacher with Eastern Suffolk BOCES for 33 years.

She is survived by her husband, Thomas M. O’Brien; five children, David, of Fort Myers, Fla., Thomas, of Hattiesburg, Miss., Christopher, of East Moriches, Douglas, of Hoboken, N.J., and Gregory of Rocky River, Ohio; 13 grandchildren, David and Danielle, Cyrus and Joe, Jessika, Kevin and Liam, Natalie, Colin and Aimee and Finnigon, Gavin and Mollie; and one great-grandchild, Taylor O’Brien. She was predeceased by a daughter, Catherine, July 15, 1955, and a sister, Maria Chagenon, in 1998.

The family received visitors Feb. 7 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 8 at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold by Father Thomas Murray, with assistance by Deacon Michael Stankiewicz. Interment took place Feb. 10 at Calverton National Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Community Action Southold Town.

This is a paid notice.