C. Patricia (Hall) O’Brien

C. Patricia (Hall) O’Brien, child of God, loving wife, mother and grandmother, caring friend and devoted patriot, passed away in her sleep on December 17, 2016 following a short illness.

Services will be held on December 28th at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral home at 15 E. Sola Street, starting with a Rosary at 9:30 AM and the Mass of Christian Burial at 1030 AM. A graveside service at Calvary Cemetery will follow.

Patricia O’Brien was born in Crystal Springs, Mississippi on October 22, 1923. She was the fourth of seven siblings and was the last surviving child of Rhoden and Elizabeth Hall. She was a farm girl and spent many summer’s picking tomatoes and helping on the family’s truck farm during the difficult Depression years. As a teenager, Pat was active in the High School Debate Team and Girls Basketball and she worked as a high school teacher’s assistant for English Composition. Following High School graduation, Patricia moved to Washington D.C. where she lived with family friends and began a career in government service with the fledgling Social Security Administration. She transferred to the Department of State after several years, where she served as an administrative assistant. Her first overseas posting was Nanjing, Republic of China, where she witnessed the overthrow of China by the Communist Party and was evacuated along the Yangtze River and sailed out of Shanghai. During her follow-on posting in Madras, India, she witnessed the transfer of power from British crown to Indian self-rule and the establishment of the Republic of India. Her final overseas posting was a 2-year tour in Madrid, Spain during the height of Francisco Franco’s rule. Upon her return to Washington, D.C., she worked in the front office for Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. She left government service in 1960, starting a second career as a housewife and mother.

C. Patricia (Hall) O’Brien was married to Robert O’Brien, M.D. on May 21, 1960, at St John’s Catholic Church in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. They were married for 52 years. Patricia lived the challenging life of a physician’s spouse and stay-at-home Mom. She shared her greatest accomplishment was raising her children during the turbulent years of the late 1960s. She was active in the PTA at San Roque School and Bishop Diego High School and served as an adult 4-H leader for many years. An active member in the Daughters of the American Revolution (Mission Canyon Chapter), she enjoyed helping Santa Barbara area students learn and explore U.S. history thru the American History Essay contest. Pat was a fervent patriot and advocate for compassionate conservatism. Her zeal and enthusiasm will be missed by all.

C. Patricia O’Brien is survived by her two children, David M. O’Brien and his wife Lisa, and Maureen A. O’Brien and her husband Douglas; her two grandchildren Megan E. O’Brien and Matthew J. O’Brien; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Patricia O’Brien is preceded in death by her parents, John Rhoden Hall and Elizabeth Kistner Hall; her sisters Emma Lee and Anne, and her brothers John Rhoden Jr., Kistner, Lloyd and Gerald.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Saint Francis Foundation of Santa Barbara.