Joan O'Hara

Joan O’Hara was born on September 21st, 1939, near Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, NY, and passed away in her home town of San Diego on October 22, 2022. One of a kind, she was a loving mother, spouse, grandmother, friend, and volunteer.

Joan attended the Russell Sage College in New York where she obtained her nursing degree in 1961. She met Vincent Barry O'Hara while on vacation in Hawai’i, and they were married on March 1st, 1969. As their family grew, they lived in many places before making San Diego their home in 1977. Joan and Vincent enjoyed a lifetime together until his too early passing in 2002.

Her life of selfless giving and looking out for others was shaped by her time as a neonatal ICU nurse in New York City. In those days they did not rely on monitors to watch the little ones, instead it was done by observation and being present. Those same attributes stayed with Joan the rest of her life whether it was working as a para educator helping children who needed a little extra assistance, volunteering at her children’s schools, welcoming the newcomers in her weekly TOPs meetings, or enjoying the 20+ year relationship with her best friend Dotty Brown, dear neighbors and friends, including Rita Smith & Oscar Azzurr.

Joan, always a straight shooter, was a natural leader who, when she saw something that needed to get done, she would jump in and do it. She started organizations that were founded upon the premise of helping others, namely the San Diego chapter of the CSEA Paraeducators union. She also proudly served on the first District Advisory Council for the San Diego Unified School District.

Joan loved a big laugh and wasn’t afraid to laugh at herself. She was always looking to put others at ease and placing their wants or needs above hers. Her home was always open to friends and family. When her children were growing up, that meant providing a home for friends who might need a bit more stability in their life.

Always an animal advocate, Joan took care of many animals over the years. That meant if you were a neighborhood cat and wanted to live the good life, head on over to Joan’s where you’d find a recently installed cat door for your convenience and a good meal awaiting.

Even after her recent diagnosis of liver cancer, the first thing Joan did after returning home from the hospital was making fruit and veggie trays to thank the staff that took care of her. That was our Joan. She was always looking out for the well-being of others while deflecting attention away from herself. Her love was unconditional and all encompassing.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents Doris Chronabery Patterson and Gerald Edward Patterson; husband Lt. Cmdr Vincent Barry O'Hara (ret); and brother Duncan Joseph Patterson. She is survived by her children: Scott O'Hara and his wife Rocio, Elizabeth O'Hara Yager and her husband Dean, and Tim O’Hara; grandchildren Angela Santiago and her husband Christian, Alexander Scott O'Hara, and Zachary Vincent O'Hara, Hearth Kaia Yager O’Hara, and Sarah Nelwyn Yager; and her great-grandson Isaiah Santiago.

A memorial service for Joan will be held Friday, December 9, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Glen Abbey Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902. In honor of Joan, please look for ways to be kind to your neighbor, don't take life too seriously, and volunteer in your community.

A Memorial Service for Joan will be held Friday, December 9, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Glen Abbey Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the O'Hara family.