Laura O'Hehir

Laura H. O’Hehir, age 99, passed away on November 5, 2023 at the Frederic Nursing and Rehab Center.

Laura was born on March 8, 1924 in Remer, MN. She was raised in Tobique, MN and graduated from Remer High School in 1941. She attended Itasca Junior College in Coleraine, MN. She worked as a nurse’s aid in the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, MN where she also attended X-Ray Technician School. She received her LPN from Miller Hospital in Duluth. She worked at the Spang Clinic in Duluth.

During this time she met a handsome Irishman named Joe O'Hehir, the brother of her landlord. They corresponded while he was in the service and married October 11, 1947, a year after he returned home. They bought a house in the Woodland area of Duluth where they made lifelong friends and started planning to build their family.

In 1960, Joe's job with The Great Northern Railroad brought them to St. Paul. They lovingly welcomed three children; Colleen, Kevin and Maureen to their family thorough adoption. They became members of St. Pascal Baylon Church. She was a member of the Women's Club, assisted with funeral luncheons and the Fall Festivals. From 1960 to the mid 1970's she committed her life to raising her three children. When her youngest started attending Battle Creek Junior High School, she joined her there working as an assistant in what was called "The Responsibility Resource Room (or the 3R's room). She became very fond of her students and often brought them homemade treats. After retiring she spent many years traveling with her beloved Joe before his passing.

Laura was an avid bridge player and an instructor for many years. She played couples bridge with her late husband Joe. They would often strategize while reading the bridge hands in the newspaper. She was a member of several bridge groups and was always ready to fill in if a sub was needed for another group. She formed lifelong friendships through these groups.

Laura also loved playing Rummy 500 or cribbage with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren (none of whom ever caught on to bridge). She taught Rummy to many staff members in her memory care unit and was known to say, “Read ‘em and weep!” when she got the winning hand. Staff often commented on how "feisty" Laura was. She remained sharp enough to play Rummy with two great grand daughters three weeks before she died.

As much as she loved cards, her family was her greatest joy. She often reminisced that the years spent raising her three children were the best years of her life.It is no wonder to many where she got the energy to chase three little ones around in her 40's! In the early years she organized neighborhood coffee parties with the neighbors on the patio while the kids played in the backyard. She sewed many beautiful clothes for her daughters when they were young as well as many of her own. She made sure we were raised with love, faith, fairness and consistency. She dealt with our shenanigans herself, never saying, “Wait until your father gets home!”

Nightly home cooked family meals and big Sunday dinners were cornerstones to our upbringing. Grace was said, food was passed and then passed again because no one could ever go away hungry. She was a great cook but an even better baker. Every meal had to end with, “just a little something sweet”. For every birthday she made beautiful cakes and dessert bars for our parties. Every Christmas, sweet treats including homemade caramels went out to neighbors and friends. The caramels became her signature treat and her children now carry on that tradition.

Sometime in the early seventies, someone learned that Laura liked pigs. What started as a few pictures hung on the laundry room wall ending up taking over the house, many of her clothes and pieces of jewelry. She received pig gifts from all around the world when family and friends traveled. When her grandchildren were young they fondly nicknamed her "Piggy Grandma", which often brought stares when they called her this in public! At times the name was even shortened by some to simply "Piggy". Again, explanations were needed especially when she entered Memory Care.

The last weeks of her life were filled with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who surrounded her with love and laughter. She always loved her "shorty beers" and when someone asked if she'd like one and said, "Well yeah! That would taste good!" So she enjoyed sips of beer through a small straw. Laura did things on her terms. A few days before she died her hospice nurse told her it was okay to go and she piped up with, "Oh no, I'm not ready yet!" A few days later she answered Gods call to come home. She is loved and missed by all who knew her.

Laura is preceded in death by her parents, Aloys and Hilda (Bechtel) Warnert; and her loving husband, Joseph.

She is survived by her children, Colleen (Chuck) Geyer, Kevin (Diane) O’Hehir, Maureen (David Damme) O’Hehir; grandchildren, Matthew, Kyle (Heather), Shannon, Chad, Heidi (Eric), Kayla (Jason) and Krista (Colin); great grandchildren, Lauren, Mckenzie, Kenny, Meike, Evelyn, Jack and Mick; brother, Joseph Warnert; nieces; nephews; and many friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 17,2023 at 10:30 AM (visitation from 9:30-10:30 AM) at the Church of St. Pascal Baylon (1757 Conway St, St Paul, MN 55106) with Father Bob Hart as Celebrant and a luncheon to follow. Interment will follow at Union Cemetery in Maplewood, MN. Pallbearers will be Matthew Hammer, Lauren Hammer, Mckenzie Hammer, Kyle O'Hehir, Shannon O'Hehir and Chad O'Hehir.

A special thanks to Wealshire of Bloomington for three years of loving care for Laura and to Frederic Nursing and Rehabilition Center and St. Croix Hospice for providing comfort and support to Laura and her family over the past seven weeks.

Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com.