Catherine "Peggy" (Haines) O'Brien's Obituary
Catherine “Peggy” (Haines) O'Brien, 97, of Liverpool, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 2, 2025 at Iroquois Nursing Home. She was born in Syracuse to the late Allen and Claramae (Fronce) Haines and graduated from Syracuse University School of Nursing in 1949. After helping to raise four daughters Peggy went back to work at the Onondaga County Health Department as a school nurse for parochial schools including St. John the Baptist, Our Lady of Pompei and Holy Trinity. Following retirement she volunteered for the Health Department administering flu vaccines.
Peggy loved her family and enjoyed many trips traveling to visit family members. Her family remembers many good trips to California, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Virginia, Colorado and Florida. Peggy had a wide circle of friends including childhood Campfire Girls, neighbors from Westvale, nursing school classmates and her many friends at Greenpoint. Peggy was an avid Yankees fan and looked forward to every baseball season; she also loved to watch SU basketball and football. Some of her favorite Christmas presents she received were SU sports and Yankees attire. Peggy loved to put on her orange.
Peggy is predeceased by her husband of 47 years, James, her daughter, Carol Drake, son-in-law, Kevin Drake, her sister, Alice “Lollie” Schentrup, brother-in-law, John Schentrup.
Peggy is survived by her daughters, Mary Kay O'Brien of Syracuse, Laurie Smith of Clay, and Teresa O'Brien of Liverpool; her grandchildren, Larissa (Robert) Ragazzo, Ashley (Sean) McCarthy, Brandon (Amy) Smith, and Brianna (Anthony) Ranieri; her 9 great-grandchildren, Robby, Kevin, Dylan, Eleanor, Bridget, Jude, Salvatore, Matteo, and Luca; along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Peggy's caregiver, Beth Nagy.
A funeral mass in celebration of Peggy’s life will take place at 9:30 A.M. on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 in Sacred Heart Church, 8229 Brewerton Rd., Cicero, NY. A tribute by the CNY Nurses Honor Guard will be held prior to the mass at 9:15 A.M. in the church. She will be laid to rest next to her husband in Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.
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