Irene “Honey” Brandt (nee O’Brien), beloved wife and mother, passed away on Jan. 16 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.
Honey was born on July 11, 1929 in Haddonfield, N.J., the daughter of Joseph A. and Irene C. (nee Conlin) O’Brien. She married R. Peter Brandt on May 7, 1955, and they resided in Haddonfield, N.J. until the late 1990s. After that they split their time between their homes in Southport and Melbourne Beach, Fla.
Honey was a graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1947, and of Rutgers University – Camden in 1954. Later, in her 50s, she returned to school for a Masters in Religious Studies at LaSalle University in Pennsylvania. Honey worked as an elementary school teacher, but retired to raise her five children.
She was a devout Catholic, and was a parishioner at both Christ the King Church in Haddonfield, and at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor. She volunteered for many years as both a Eucharistic Minister and a CCD teacher. She also founded the long-running Gourmet Bible Study in Haddonfield, N.J., and taught another Bible Study in Boothbay Harbor for many years.
Honey loved to give parties, and to spend time with family and friends.
Honey’s other interests were quilting, reading, the Philadelphia Orchestra (to which she had season tickets for many years), and attending as many of her children’s and grandchildren’s various performances and sporting events as possible. She also visited Ireland in her 60s and fell in love with the country, making several other trips in subsequent years.
Honey is survived by her husband of 54 years, Peter Brandt of Southport; daughter, Ann Brandt of Freeport and husband Jeff Howe, and Ann’s daughters Megan and Rita; son, Peter Brandt of Haddonfield, N.J. and wife Lynn (nee Richardson) Brandt and their daughters Corinne, Colette and Colleen; son, John Brandt of Albuquerque, N.M. with his daughter Tessa; son, Christopher of Boothbay Harbor and wife Lana (nee Rau) Brandt and their son Dylan; daughter, Mary Beth Brandt of Bethel and Durham, N.C.; former son-in-law, Eric Meyer of Freeport; former daughter-in-law, Jennifer Moore of Albuquerque, N.M. and her daughter Kyra; sister, Rita Toscano of Medford, N.J. and Rita’s daughters Maryann and Nancy; sister, Ruth Ludlow of Port Richey, Fla.; and brother, Paul O’Brien of Rockville, Md. and wife Barbara and their children Karen, John and Michael.
A wake will be 6-8 p.m. Fri., Jan. 22 at Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home in Boothbay. Funeral mass 10 a.m., Sat., Jan. 23 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Boothbay Harbor.
In lieu of flowers, friends may send memorial donations in Honey’s name to Hospice of Southern Maine, Attn: Development, 180 U.S. Route One, #1, Scarborough, ME 04074.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, Boothbay.
