PORTSMOUTH- Jeanette Catherine Spahn O'Brien passed away unexpectedly but peacefully on June 20, 2018 at the age of 92. She was a kind and loving sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was the sixth of seven children and was born at home on 40 Channing Avenue on August 5, 1925 in Portsmouth (Cradock, Norfolk County) to Margarite Hoeck and George James Spahn.  Jeanette has one surviving sister Betty (Paul) McClintock.

Jeanette attended St. Paul's Elementary School and St. Joseph's Academy, where she was a starter on the women's championship basketball team.  After graduating in 1942, she began working for the Frank G. Ennis Paper Company in Norfolk doing general office work and later went to work at the Naval Base in Norfolk.

On June 17, 1944, she married Joseph Vincent O'Brien at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Cradock. Together, they have three children, J. Vincent (Lesley) O'Brien, Jr., George O'Brien (deceased), and Pat O'Brien (Bill) Smith.  Jeanette is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Her husband Joe was a Marine Engineer in the Merchant Marine and after discharge went to work for Esso Standard Oil Company; together Jeanette and Joe moved all over Virginia with their family. They resided in Portsmouth, Charlottesville, Marion, Staunton, and Norfolk.  Joe left Esso in 1963; and, as a couple, they founded the successful O'Brien Oil Company in Portsmouth, while living in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake.  They also opened Churchland Ace Hardware on Bridge Road and O'Brien Marina on Shoulders Hill Road in Suffolk.  They were active members of St. Therese Catholic Church and Church of the Resurrection.

In 1975 they retired to Lake Gaston, North Carolina to a beautiful home on the lake.  Jeanette entertained extensively and was active in the Lake Gaston Ladies Club.  In 1998, when their son George became ill, they moved back to Suffolk to help care for him and remained there until 2013, when they moved to Province Place in Portsmouth.  Joe predeceased her in 2017.  The family would like to thank three wonderful caregivers, Jacqueline, Martha and Gloria for all their kindness and caring help over the past 15 months.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, July 16 at Church of the Resurrection, 3501 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Oasis Social Ministry, 800 Williamsburg Ave, Portsmouth, VA 23704. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.