Nora Ellen O'Brien

Nora Ellen O'Brien, 44, of Santa Monica, CA and formerly of West Hartford, CT passed away on April 29 after collapsing while playing basketball with work colleagues in Berkeley, CA. Nora was predeceased by her father, Frederick J. O Brien, M.D., and is survived by her mother, Virginia Ginny O Brien and her six siblings and their families: Michael, his wife Ann and their children, Michael and Kelly, of Cheshire, CT; Joan, her husband David Wildfeuer and their daughter Rachel, of Berwyn, PA; Timothy, his wife Linda and their children, Sarah and Kevin, of Wellesley, MA; Daniel, his wife Andrea and their daughters Megan, Claire and Erin, of West Hartford, CT; Erin, her husband Brian Earley and their children Christina, Meredith, Sean and Brigid, of Franklin, MA; and Carey, her husband Chris McGlynn, and sons Conor and Brendan, of Oakville, Ontario. Nora was also predeceased by her cherished niece Nicole Wildfeuer. Nora was a graduate of Northwest Catholic High School and Boston College. Blessed with the gift of storytelling, Nora regaled her friends and family with her humorous tales of everyday life. After 10 years of writing and producing documentary films in Boston, Nora chased her dreams and headed west. In Los Angeles Nora blossomed into a successful, respected and cherished executive of the entertainment and artistic community. Amidst her Hollywood accomplishments, Nora never forgot her roots and will be remembered forever for her love of family, vast network of friends, immense generosity and true spirit for competition on any field or court. Her passion for New England sports teams, exceeded perhaps only by that of her father, Fred, was evident to all her friends. Nora was highly regarded in LA for her strong relationships, integrity, work ethic, and creativity. Nora s work included both the production and post-production side of several feature films including, Clear and Present Danger , Sliver , and Outbreak . Nora later joined the SCI FI Channel before becoming the Vice President of Drama Programming at NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Visitation will be from 4PM 8PM on Tuesday, May 5th at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 6th at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Farmington Ave, West Hartford. A memorial service at St. Monica s Catholic Church in Santa Monica will be held at a later date. Donations in Nora s memory may be made to Hollywood Heart www.hollywoodheart.org. Nora served on the board of this LA-based non-profit organization, which provides opportunities for at-risk youths. Letters of condolence may be sent via the funeral home s web site at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Nora Ellen O'Brien

October 2, 1964 - April 29, 2009