Susan Christine (Mehl) O'Brien

Susan Christine (Mehl) O’Brien, 66, passed away on February 9, 2013 at Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers following a period of illness. She was the wife of Paul O’Brien with whom she shared 45 years of marriage. Born in Chicago, Illinois on August 1, 1946, she was the daughter of the late George and Mildred (Simpson) Mehl. Susan was raised and educated in Illinois and graduated from Downers Grove High School. She became a registered nurse and worked as an RN in Chicago, IL and also at Beverly Hospital in Beverly, MA. She stayed home to raise her children in Danvers, where she and her husband have resided since 1972. Susan enjoyed traveling with her husband, reading, swimming in her pool, playing with her grandchildren and quilting. Her love of fabric kept her busy as she was an exceptional fabric artist, showing and selling her works at several galleries and art guilds. Despite her physical challenges, she had a courageous zest for life. She had the ability to always find the humor in every situation, and her smile and laughter will be sorely missed by all who knew her. Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Christine and Joseph Mercurio of Nashua, NH and Erin and Robert Woitkowski of Haverhill, MA, a brother Geoffrey Mehl of PA and a sister Sharon Malec of IL, and five beloved grandchildren, Jonathan, Kelsey and Kersten Mercurio and Stephen and David Woitkowski. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 15, 2013 at 9:00 A.M. in St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Burial is private. Visiting hours are Thursday from 4-7PM at C.R. Lyons & Sons, Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Susan’s name to the American Diabetes Assoc., PO Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.