Marette O'Brien

On September 30th, 2023, with family by her side, Marette peacefully passed away at home at the age of 94. Predeceased by her loving husband John (Jack) O’Brien.  Survived by brother Gerald (Pamela) Fry, daughter Delia, and granddaughter Marie Colwell (Matthew).  Special aunt of Paul Fry (Marie) and Michael Fry (Laura). Great aunt of Nathan, Avery and Evan Fry and the late Connor and Caleb Fry.  Sister in law to Margaret Jackson and numerous nieces and nephews.

Born in Rosseau Falls, Ontario on April 13th, 1929 to Harold and Charlotte (Swain) Fry. She spent her early childhood years living on the family farm in Raymond, Ontario. Marette’s first job away from home was at Camp Winnebago as a young teenager before working for the Humphrey Municipal Telephone System at the end of the Second World War. She then moved to Hamilton, Ontario to work for the Bell Telephone Company before transferring to the Orillia branch a year later to be closer to home where she worked for six years. While working in Orillia, Marette met Jack, her future husband, who at the time was stationed at Base Borden (Formerly known as Camp Borden.) 

Marette and Jack married on September 18th, 1948 at the Raymond United Church before moving to Toronto to work at the Timothy Eaton Company. After a few years in Toronto, they moved back to Bracebridge, Ontario and obtained the local Canadian Tire franchise that they both operated for many years before selling the store. Marette and Jack built their forever home on a piece of farmland that Marette had been born and raised on in 1968/69.

Both Marette and Jack attended the Utterson United Church where Marette took over being the treasurer of the church and held that job for 15 years. Alongside working as the church treasurer, Marette joined the UCW Raymond and learned to quilt. Quilting was one of many hobbies Marette had, including baking and in her early years, travelling the world with Jack. Marette and Jack travelled all over Europe, toured the Holy Land, Canada and many States in their retirement. When she was home, twice a day, Marette would mark the sunrise, sunset and the weather conditions of the day on the kitchen calendar up till her final weeks.   

Friends and relatives are invited to the visitation on October 4th, 2023 5:00-8:00 pm at Reynolds Funeral Home.  Funeral service taking place at Reynolds Funeral Home on October 5th, 2023 at 1:00 pm with the interment following at the Ullswater Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to South Muskoka Hospital Foundation https://www.healthmuskoka.ca/ or Heart & Stroke https://www.heartandstroke.ca/ would be appreciated.