Obituary of Marguerite C. O'Bryan

Marguerite C. O'Bryan, 79, of Clinton Ave., Ft. Plain and Lake Placid, FL passed away unexpectedly Saturday, January 24, 2009 at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, FL surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Sayre, PA August 21, 1929 a daughter of the late Warren and Cecelia Stanton Loan. Marguerite grew up in the Horseheads, NY and was a 1946 graduate of Horseheads High School. She was always very proud of the fact that she had skipped a grade in school and graduated a year ahead of time. Marguerite married Thomas F. O'Bryan on July 17, 1948 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Horseheads. The couple then moved to Ithaca where she worked as a switchboard operator at Cornell University. In 1958 they moved to Canandaigua where in addition to raising her large family, Marguerite worked at the Finger Lakes Race Track and New York Telephone. She also worked for New York Telephone in Utica while residing in New Hartford. Following her retirement in 1990, Marguerite and her husband resided in Ft. Plain, NY and Lake Placid, Florida where she was very active in her communities. She was a Senior Volunteer with the National Senior Service Corps and was honored in the past for her service to the community. She was also a member of the NY Telephone Pioneers of America and was a parishioner of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Ft. Plain. Marguerite enjoyed reading, being active and exercising, knitting, sewing and playing cards, especially playing Bridge with the Afternoon Bridge Club at Tropical Harbor Estates where she lived in Florida. Her favorite pastime, though, was spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her loving family includes her husband of over 60 years, Thomas F. O'Bryan of Ft. Plain, NY and Lake Placid, FL, her children, Kevin M. Patricia O'Bryan of Troy, NY, Kristine M. John Kirkpatrick of Ft. Plain, Thomas E. Lisa O'Bryan of Camillus, NY, Michael P. Eileen O'Bryan of Manlius, NY, Daniel S. Carol O'Bryan of New Hartford, NY and Andrew J. Lisa O'Bryan of Oriskany, NY, her sister, Marion O'Bryan of Horseheads, NY, her brother, Francis Loan of Niagara Falls, her grandchildren, Colin Sari O'Bryan, Brendan O'Bryan, Karey Ryan Nobles, Amy Kirkpatrick and fiancée, Joe Bartholomew, Caitlin Kirkpatrick, Seth, Beth and Dylan O'Bryan, Christopher and Brian Piccioni, Aaron O'Bryan, Rory Tracey O'Bryan, Barbara, Michael and Sean O'Bryan, Matthew and Stephanie O'Bryan, and Natalie and Trevor O'Bryan, and her great-grandchildren, Morgan, Aidan and Eamonn O'Bryan. In addition to her parents, Marguerite was predeceased by a brother, Robert Loan of Kingston. A Prayer Service will be conducted at 9:00AM on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 69 Otsego St., Canajoharie, NY with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:00AM at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Fort Plain with Fr. John Roos as celebrant. Interment will be at a later date in Fort Plain Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:00PM at the funeral home. Contributions in Marguerite's memory may be made to March of Dimes, 1001 James St., Utica, NY 13501 or the American Heart Association, 440 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205.