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January 31, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family between 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral services will be held at 9 am on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, 1799 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, where at 10 am a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Madeline was born in Long Island City, New York and as a child lived in Asbury Park, Nutley, Clifton, Rutherford, Atlantic City, and Syracuse, NY.
When playing outdoors, Madeline often went by the nickname "Sandy.” She'd tuck her hair up under a baseball cap for sandlot games with the neighborhood boys. Many boys on opposing teams never realized "Sandy" was a girl as her athleticism could outshine theirs at times!
This served her well later as a mother to six children, and coaching "The Violets" T-Ball team of her daughters with long-time friend Ruth Carlson.
When Madeline was about 16 yrs old, she wanted very much to enter a convent and become a nun. Her best friend had become a nun, but Christine & W.P. Snyder, Sr. would not give Madeline permission. She argued about this, but they did not relent. Mom has since remarked her parents at the time said she was "Too smart and too pretty to be a nun." (The clergy today may not be as amused by that comment as her kids may be!)
Madeline was in the Miss Atlantic City Pageant. In the following Miss America Pageant she was thrilled by the honor of riding in the first car of the pageant parade with Burt Parks, representing Atlantic City as a welcoming hostess. Other duties included posing on the beach with a beach ball displaying current temperature readings for television audiences. Madeline's most cherished memory of her pageant experiences was a love-filled poem her mother, Christine, composed to her and presented as Madeline readied for that Miss America Pageant. Madeline and Bill were dating at the time of those pageants and often made trips with friends to fish and boat in North Jersey lakes.
In high school she was a member of the Latin Club Honor Society and on the debate team, where she was voted “Golden Tongued Orator". She was elected a member of the National Forensic League for Oratory in 1954, and also became a member of the MENSA Society. Madeline graduated from Holy Spirit High School in Atlantic City with the Class of 1955. She later attended the 50th and 55th year reunions of Holy Spirit Alumni. Madeline later continued her education at the New York School of Interior Design and in Real Estate.
Madeline met the love of her life, William F. O’Brien, Jr., on a blind date set up by family friends. Bill proposed to Madeline at her mother's dining table after hiding the engagement ring inside the pizza box he'd brought for dinner. They were married by the Rev. Thomas Walsh on May 17, 1958, in a noon wedding at St. Mary's Church in Rutherford, NJ. The maid of honor was Irene Gallagher, and bridesmaids were Mary Lou Noble and Helen Rieger. The best man was Ernest J. Scheidermann and ushers were William Terry and John Downey. That day Madeline and Bill hosted their reception at what was The Circle Inn on the old Wayne Circle on Route 23 in Wayne, NJ.
Before settling in Wayne, Madeline and Bill's first home was in Baltimore, MD. They next lived in Cedar Grove, NJ, where their three girls were born, then in 1961 moved to Clearwater, FL, where their next two children, two sons, were born. By 1966, the family settled in Wayne, where their youngest son and sixth child was born. Madeline enjoyed 35 years of loving marriage before William passed away on June 12, 1992. After Bill's death, Madeline drew on her faith and inner strength, and devoted herself to her work, home, and family.
Raising six children wasn't enough for Madeline; she started her own business, Interiors by Design, which she operated in Wayne for several years. She served on the Board of Education for Wayne and was instrumental in changing the status quo to allow Catholic school children to receive textbooks with State funds. She later found her niche as a Realtor, eventually earning her broker's license and working in real estate for more than 33 years. Madeline began with DeMattia-O'Brien Realty in Clifton, later working for Soldoveri Agency and Weichert Realtors in Wayne before retiring in 2009. During her career as a Realtor she was known as Madeline Sandra O'Brien, G.R.I. Broker/Sales Representative, Condo Coop Specialist, Historic Homes Representative.
Madeline was a parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne. She had a deep humanitarian resolve and volunteered with the Wayne Interfaith Network’s Food Pantry and also traveled to New Orleans to assist in the post-hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort with Our Lady of Consolation church’s Social Justice Ministry.
Madeline was known for her quick wit and easy smile, her gracious, charming ways, and her love of language. At home she could often be found in her yard gardening and working on her landscaping. Madeline also had a love of the beach. She enjoyed all seasons at the New Jersey shoreline and in her latter years took to photography there.
Madeline was the beloved daughter of the late Wilfred and Christine Snyder; after Madeline their other children are Tina (Snyder) Lamberski , W.P. "Buddy" Snyder, Jr., and finally Patrica Snyder.
She is survived by her beloved sister-in-law Rosellen "Mickey" Titmas; her loving children Laurie Murray and her husband Patrick of Howell, Nadine M. Simms and her husband James of Haledon, Eileen M. O’Brien and her husband Tony of Maryland, William F. O’Brien, III and his wife Diane of Kinnelon, James P. O’Brien of Morristown, Thomas J. O’Brien and his wife Kori of Los Angeles, CA; she was the loved sister of Christine Lamberski of Wayne, Wilfred P. Snyder and his wife Mary Beth of Tucson, AZ, and Patricia Lee Snyder of Wayne. She was the cherished grandmother of eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Madeline leaves devoted and loving nieces, nephews, their children, and several close and loving cousins and friends in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and California.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Wayne Interfaith Network (WIN), PO Box 3341, Wayne, NJ 07474-3341 would be appreciated. A union of churches and synagogues in Wayne, besides their food pantry program WIN also helps Wayne's needy with a sneaker and clothing program where gift cards are given out to the needy for the purchase of a new pair of sneakers at the start of summer and a new outfit and shoes for the start of school.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family between 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral services will be held at 9 am on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, 1799 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, where at 10 am a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
January 31, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family between 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral services will be held at 9 am on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, 1799 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, where at 10 am a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Madeline was born in Long Island City, New York and as a child lived in Asbury Park, Nutley, Clifton, Rutherford, Atlantic City, and Syracuse, NY.
When playing outdoors, Madeline often went by the nickname "Sandy.” She'd tuck her hair up under a baseball cap for sandlot games with the neighborhood boys. Many boys on opposing teams never realized "Sandy" was a girl as her athleticism could outshine theirs at times!
This served her well later as a mother to six children, and coaching "The Violets" T-Ball team of her daughters with long-time friend Ruth Carlson.
When Madeline was about 16 yrs old, she wanted very much to enter a convent and become a nun. Her best friend had become a nun, but Christine & W.P. Snyder, Sr. would not give Madeline permission. She argued about this, but they did not relent. Mom has since remarked her parents at the time said she was "Too smart and too pretty to be a nun." (The clergy today may not be as amused by that comment as her kids may be!)
Madeline was in the Miss Atlantic City Pageant. In the following Miss America Pageant she was thrilled by the honor of riding in the first car of the pageant parade with Burt Parks, representing Atlantic City as a welcoming hostess. Other duties included posing on the beach with a beach ball displaying current temperature readings for television audiences. Madeline's most cherished memory of her pageant experiences was a love-filled poem her mother, Christine, composed to her and presented as Madeline readied for that Miss America Pageant. Madeline and Bill were dating at the time of those pageants and often made trips with friends to fish and boat in North Jersey lakes.
In high school she was a member of the Latin Club Honor Society and on the debate team, where she was voted “Golden Tongued Orator". She was elected a member of the National Forensic League for Oratory in 1954, and also became a member of the MENSA Society. Madeline graduated from Holy Spirit High School in Atlantic City with the Class of 1955. She later attended the 50th and 55th year reunions of Holy Spirit Alumni. Madeline later continued her education at the New York School of Interior Design and in Real Estate.
Madeline met the love of her life, William F. O’Brien, Jr., on a blind date set up by family friends. Bill proposed to Madeline at her mother's dining table after hiding the engagement ring inside the pizza box he'd brought for dinner. They were married by the Rev. Thomas Walsh on May 17, 1958, in a noon wedding at St. Mary's Church in Rutherford, NJ. The maid of honor was Irene Gallagher, and bridesmaids were Mary Lou Noble and Helen Rieger. The best man was Ernest J. Scheidermann and ushers were William Terry and John Downey. That day Madeline and Bill hosted their reception at what was The Circle Inn on the old Wayne Circle on Route 23 in Wayne, NJ.
Before settling in Wayne, Madeline and Bill's first home was in Baltimore, MD. They next lived in Cedar Grove, NJ, where their three girls were born, then in 1961 moved to Clearwater, FL, where their next two children, two sons, were born. By 1966, the family settled in Wayne, where their youngest son and sixth child was born. Madeline enjoyed 35 years of loving marriage before William passed away on June 12, 1992. After Bill's death, Madeline drew on her faith and inner strength, and devoted herself to her work, home, and family.
Raising six children wasn't enough for Madeline; she started her own business, Interiors by Design, which she operated in Wayne for several years. She served on the Board of Education for Wayne and was instrumental in changing the status quo to allow Catholic school children to receive textbooks with State funds. She later found her niche as a Realtor, eventually earning her broker's license and working in real estate for more than 33 years. Madeline began with DeMattia-O'Brien Realty in Clifton, later working for Soldoveri Agency and Weichert Realtors in Wayne before retiring in 2009. During her career as a Realtor she was known as Madeline Sandra O'Brien, G.R.I. Broker/Sales Representative, Condo Coop Specialist, Historic Homes Representative.
Madeline was a parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne. She had a deep humanitarian resolve and volunteered with the Wayne Interfaith Network’s Food Pantry and also traveled to New Orleans to assist in the post-hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort with Our Lady of Consolation church’s Social Justice Ministry.
Madeline was known for her quick wit and easy smile, her gracious, charming ways, and her love of language. At home she could often be found in her yard gardening and working on her landscaping. Madeline also had a love of the beach. She enjoyed all seasons at the New Jersey shoreline and in her latter years took to photography there.
Madeline was the beloved daughter of the late Wilfred and Christine Snyder; after Madeline their other children are Tina (Snyder) Lamberski , W.P. "Buddy" Snyder, Jr., and finally Patrica Snyder.
She is survived by her beloved sister-in-law Rosellen "Mickey" Titmas; her loving children Laurie Murray and her husband Patrick of Howell, Nadine M. Simms and her husband James of Haledon, Eileen M. O’Brien and her husband Tony of Maryland, William F. O’Brien, III and his wife Diane of Kinnelon, James P. O’Brien of Morristown, Thomas J. O’Brien and his wife Kori of Los Angeles, CA; she was the loved sister of Christine Lamberski of Wayne, Wilfred P. Snyder and his wife Mary Beth of Tucson, AZ, and Patricia Lee Snyder of Wayne. She was the cherished grandmother of eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Madeline leaves devoted and loving nieces, nephews, their children, and several close and loving cousins and friends in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and California.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Wayne Interfaith Network (WIN), PO Box 3341, Wayne, NJ 07474-3341 would be appreciated. A union of churches and synagogues in Wayne, besides their food pantry program WIN also helps Wayne's needy with a sneaker and clothing program where gift cards are given out to the needy for the purchase of a new pair of sneakers at the start of summer and a new outfit and shoes for the start of school.
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