Mary Emélie O’Brien, 75, of Waterloo, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Cedar Valley Hospice in Waterloo.
Mary Emélie was born Jan. 23, 1951, to Frank and Emily (McAnally) Witts at Pekin, Ill. She attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and graduated from Pekin Community High School with the class of 1969.
Mary knew from sixth grade that she wanted to attend Clarke College, the all-women’s Catholic college in Dubuque, to become a French and history high school teacher. She did so, graduating in May 1973. Teaching positions were scarce in the year after graduation, so she worked jobs substitute teaching and as a house parent at a local group home in Dubuque. In March 1974, she applied for a “temporary” service representative job at Northwestern Bell in Dubuque and was immediately hired. This “temporary” job lasted nearly 20 years with positions in systems and marketing in Dubuque, Waterloo, Davenport, Ames, Basking Ridge, N.J. (AT&T), and Omaha, Neb.
On April 26, 1986, having met on a blind date and dating 10 years, after many career moves, Mary married the love of her life, her gentle Irishman, Patrick Francis O’Brien, son of Duane Francis and Clair (Krogman) O’Brien, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Strawberry Point. They were blessed with Matthew Francis on Oct. 14, 1987, their bundle of energy and love of their lives.
Mary resigned from US West in 1993 to become a full-time mom, which she loved and treasured each day. In 1996, she returned to part-time substitute teaching in world languages at Waterloo Columbus Catholic High School, NU High School in Cedar Falls and Cedar Falls High School, “retiring” in 2006.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family can make a monetary donation that will be directed to the Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo.
Visitation was held July 31, with a parish rosary, at the Leonard – Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Elkader. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 1, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Volga. Burial followed in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Volga.
Leonard – Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Elkader has been entrusted with handling arrangements for the family.
