Agnes Mary Cozy O'Brien
Agnes Mary Cozy O'Brien
Agnes Mary Cozy O'Brien
1918 - 2013
Our beautiful, cheerful, industrious, artistic, faith-filled
mother Agnes died at home in her sleep on August 25, 2013, just short of her
95th birthday. Her last days were peaceful and calm, just as she was.
Agnes was born on September 7, 1918 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
to Mary
McDill, a Scotch-Irish schoolteacher, and David Cozy, a Lebanese jack of all
trades. In her childhood, the family moved
frequently between Canada and Michigan, and finally to southern California. Agnes had wonderful stories of her childhood
-- the time her dad brought home a circus lion that he had purchased, her
travels wrapped in heavy woolen blankets on a horse-drawn sleigh, the time the
wolves came yelping to their cabin
door, her “jumping the gun” at her 1st Communion, playing hooky
with her brother Ray, her trip at age 11 from Michigan to California with three total
strangers.
Mom attended 2 years of college and excelled, but was then
told that her childhood dream of being a teacher would be impossible because of
her poor hearing. Practical woman that she was, Agnes switched to a
business school, where she met Frank O’Brien, the love of her life, with whom
she shared 59 very happy years.
Agnes and Frank were married in St. James Church in Ludlow,
Kentucky on May 25, 1942. They settled in Los Angeles, California where
they raised 4 children. They loved to entertain the extended family with
card games, wild Irish storytelling and delicious Lebanese feasts. After
retirement, they moved to Ontario, Oregon and later to Boise, Idaho to be
near family.
Mom was an artist, decorating our home with her colorful original
oil paintings, as well as hand-painted wallpaper. She was a phenomenal
cook – comfort foods, cakes and pies, and most especially, Lebanese
specialties. If you tasted her kibbi or hand-rolled grape leaves, her turkey with lamb dressing or stuffed
zucchini, you knew you had been
blessed. When she wasn’t painting or cooking, Mom was busy gardening,
knitting, crocheting (especially gifts for her grandchildren and great
grandchildren), restoring old furniture, reading, or doing crossword
puzzles. And did we mention , she became quite a pro at bridge in her
later years?
Agnes was preceded in death by her husband Frank Edward O’Brien.
Survivors include son Michael and wife Christina of Boise, daughter Sheila and
husband Marc Whitehead of Boise, son Joseph of Los Angeles, and son Timothy and
wife Judy Flynn-O’Brien of Albuquerque New Mexico. She leaves 4 grandchildren:
Jennifer Whitehead and husband John May, Matthew Whitehead and wife
Yolanda Leal, Michael Flynn-O’Brien and wife Alejandra Mora, and
Katherine Flynn-O’Brien. She leaves 5 great grandchildren: Tabor,
Isabella and Liliana Whitehead, Isadore May, and Sofia Flynn-O’Brien.
A memorial funeral mass will be held at St. Marks’ Catholic Church
Saturday September 7 at 10 am, to be followed by a reception at her home.
Cremation arrangements by Alden-Waggoner.
The
family would like to especially thank Dr. Edward and Sue Newcombe for their
kindnesses and concern through the years.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Agnes Mary Cozy O'Brien, please visit our flower store.
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