CAROL O’BRIEN

CAROL O’BRIEN 1936 – 2024
Carol O’Brien passed peacefully on November 22, 2024, surrounded by love and family at the age of 88. Carol was born in Biggar, Saskatchewan on October 17, 1936, to Otto and Ada (nee Cox) Eriksen, the second of five daughters. From a little girl growing up on a farm, Carol embarked on what would be a full and storied life. After graduating as valedictorian from the Biggar High School, Carol moved to the ‘big city’ to attend teacher’s college in Saskatoon. Her thirst for adventure led her to move on from her teaching career early in life, when she relocated to the ‘bigger city’ of Calgary, working as a banker. It was in Calgary that Carol took the great leap into parenthood with the birth of her daughter, Carmen. Her role as a mother would expand when she moved to Victoria, where her sons Stephen, Brandon, and Patrick were born. The family would spend the better part of a decade on the coast, before relocating to Medicine Hat where they could be closer to loved ones. It was here in Medicine Hat that Carol decided to plant her roots.
Carol juggled the many demands of being a working woman in the 60s and 70s while single-handedly raising a young family. This was a challenging period in her life, but Carol was never one to give up when things got hard, or to simply accept the hand that was dealt. In her mid 30’s, Carol decided to reshuffle the deck by attending the Medicine Hat College, where she would receive her certification as a Registered Nurse. This began a long and rewarding career in healthcare that extended over 35 years. Carol worked as a Registered Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse, Counsellor, Manager for the Partial Hospitalization Program, and the Liaison Coordinator for the Psychiatric Ward all at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. Carol was at heart a helper, providing care to countless people in need.
Carol’s drive to excel and live life to its fullest was not limited to her career. Her passion and natural talent for the arts was showcased in the countless paintings, sketches, sculptures, and pieces of pottery that she created. Art, history, and nature were wonderful outlets for Carol, and a social connection to the many other talented artists and stewards of southern Alberta. She valued the friends she made through the Pottery Association, Hat Art Club, Grassland Naturalists, and Historical Society (to name a few of her clubs). She was a keystone volunteer with many organizations in Medicine Hat (e.g., Quota Club, Hospital Auxiliary), and served on the Board of Directors that saw a ruined pottery factory turned into what we now know as the Medalta Historic Clay District. Her appetite for new experiences led Carol to be an avid traveller, both within Canada and abroad. Trips to England, France, Alaska, Nevada, the Netherlands, Italy, China, and Japan expanded Carol’s horizons even further. Even at the age of 80, she was on the move, travelling to Montreal with her grandson for her birthday.
Carol was the matriarch of the family, providing guidance, support, and unconditional love to her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She taught us the meaning of hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity, and was truly the embodiment of strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment. She shaped us, taught us, and cared for us, at times when no one else would. While Carol will be forever missed by her loving family, she will never truly be gone. She is survived by her children Carmen (Steve †), Stephen (Lisa), Brandon, and Patrick; her grandchildren Tyler (Kristen), Stephanie (Dennis), Jesse, Kyle, Sarah (Steven), Hailey, and Rachel (Jayden); and her great grandchildren Stephen, Ryker, Dawson, and Amelia. Her sisters Karen, Gerda, Beverly, and Myrna, and their families in turn, will also remember Carol with love.
Within our hearts there will be no hole, for you have filled it with your soul. Cremation has been entrusted to the Pattison Funeral Home and Crematorium. In lieu of flowers or gifts, Carol would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada. To leave a message of condolence you may visit www.pattisonfuneralhome.com.
PATTISON FUNERAL HOME
AND CREMATORIUM
540 South Railway St. SE,
Medicine Hat T1A 4C2