Carol O'Brien

Carol Lynne O’Brien, 72, of Hebron, Kentucky died on Saturday, September 6 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood. Born in Steubenville, Ohio, on July 12, 1936, she was the daughter of Elmore and Jane Kayser. Carol was a graduate of Toronto, Ohio High School, Class of 1954, whereof her classmates will remember her as Carol Dodson, as she adopted her paternal grandfather’s sir name.

She earned her Bachelor Degree at The University of Kentucky and her Masters Degree from Northern Kentucky University. Carol also attended Kent State University, Ferris State University, Michigan and Xavier University, Cincinnati.

After a successful 42-year teaching career, Carol retired in 1997 from Covington Public Schools where she taught for 22 years at Glenn O. Swing Elementary School. Previously, she taught at Clintonville Elementary School in Kentucky, Brookside Elementary School in Big Rapids, Michigan, Bath-Richfield Elementary School, Richfield, Ohio and Akron Ohio Public Schools. She also served two semesters as adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University.

In 1984 and again in 1993, Carol was awarded Kentucky’s Outstanding Teacher of The Year Annual Award. As an accomplished pianist and craft-artisan, Carol enriched her classes for elementary students by integrating music and handicraft activities in most all of her teaching. Many students will carry lifelong memories of the stage plays, musical productions, puppet shows, cultural, scientific and historical theme projects which were produced and presented cooperatively by all her students under her skillful direction. Many of her student’s historical/cultural projects were placed on display in corporate offices and venues in the greater Cincinnati Area.

As successful craft-artisan she received many awards for her creative work at craft shows and festivals throughout Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Many of her creations were allauded in New York, Oregon and California and some foreign countries for their appealing qualities of beauty and uniqueness after having been purchased as household decorative gifts.

Survivors include her husband Ralph D. O’Brien, 76 and sons Daniel B. O’Brien, 46 of Crescent Springs and Timothy P. O’Brien 44, of Lansing , New York. Her grandchildren include: Lauren, 18 and Kyle, 16 of Crescent Springs. Kentucky; children of Daniel and Jennifer O‘Brien, and Erin 16, Emily.14 and Natalie, 12 of Lansing, New York; children of Tim and Amy O’Brien. Carol will be sadly missed by her loving family and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund in Carol’s name has been established to benefit Glenn O. Swing Elementary School in Covington. Monetary gifts to the school may be received at Glenn O. Swing School, Music and Arts Program, 501 W. 19th Street, Covington, Kentucky 41011.

"When She Comes Home"
by James Whitcomb Riley

WHEN she comes home again! A thousand ways
I fashion, to myself, the tenderness
Of my glad welcome: I shall tremble—yes;
And touch her, as when first in the old days
I touched her girlish hand, nor dared upraise
Mine eyes, such was my faint heart’s sweet distress.
Then silence: and the perfume of her dress:
The room will sway a little, and a haze
Cloy eyesight—soul-sight, even—for a space;
And tears—yes; and the ache here in the throat,
To know that I so ill deserve the place
Her arms make for me; and the sobbing note
I stay with kisses, ere the tearful face
Again is hidden in the old embrace.