Mrs. Joyce O’Brien was a former Kindergarten teacher at St. Mary School who passed away on Feb. 15, 2019, at the age of 72. The school mass on Wednesday, Feb. 27 will be celebrated in remembrance of her, and her family will be in attendance. Mrs. O’Brien will be remembered as a warm, wonderful teacher who truly cared about her students. She volunteered in the library as recently as last year. The following information about Joyce was printed in Florida Today. She will be missed!
Joyce was a proud graduate of Florida State University (1968), with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She began her teaching career in South Florida, where she met her husband Tommy. They were married in 1970 and had three children. They moved to Cocoa, FL in 1982. She taught Kindergarten at St. Mary’s Catholic School from 1985 until she retired in 2010.
She was a truly selfless person, who during her time at St. Mary’s started the school band program, and along with Sr. Helen, the children’s choir. She gave much of her time and energy to the school, both to students and her fellow teachers. For 25 years, it was not only her job, but her extended family.
She was preceded in death by her husband Tommy, parent’s Lee and Rita, brother Joe and sister Janice. She is survived by her children, Theresa, Robert and Mary, her beloved granddaughter Haley, and grandsons Noah and Christian, as well as her brother Gary and sister Jill.
There will be a private service at Brevard Memorial in Cocoa, FL on Sunday February 24, 2019. There will be a celebration of life mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockledge, FL on Wednesday February 27, 2019 at 8:30am. All former students and faculty are welcome to attend. Published in FLORIDA TODAY on Feb. 21, 2019 SEND FLOWERS
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