Rebecca L. (Balistreri) O'Brien

Born Rebecca Lynn Balistreri in Milwaukee, WI on September 15th, 1970 and died Rebecca Lynn O’Brien at 49 years old on December 17th, 2019, Rebecca (Becky) is survived by her husband Edward (Ed) O’Brien and was the youngest daughter of Danise and Terry Courtois. She is survived by her siblings: Justine and Al Kesslering, Brenda Wydeven, and Anissia Balistreri. She was a doting mother to six children: Sarah Canapa, Aron Canapa, Kira Dennik, Allie Dennik, Jason Dennik and Emma O’Brien. Becky was a grandmother to 13 grandchildren and a loving pet owner to two dogs- Lady Bug and Maddie. She will forever be remembered as an aunt, a cousin, and a beloved friend to many more.

Becky had proudly lived in Milwaukee, WI throughout her life and obtained her GED after attending Hamilton High School in 1988. After working some odds-and-ends jobs- such as the Baby Department Specialist at Burlington Coat factory for some years- she was employed as the Patient Transportation Specialist at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center for a total of five years. That is where she met her husband of 13 years, Ed O’Brien; they had their last and only child together in 2008. After Emma was born, Ed and Becky lived together in Oak Creek, WI, where she focused on her passion as a homemaker and her love of crochet and was a stay-at-home mother to her children for the remainder of her life.

The legacy of Becky was a lively one, as anyone who had known or even spoken to her in passing would describe her as witty, comedic, and original. Becky’s sisters remembered her always playing practical jokes on them as children, and they affirm she’s always had a clever remark to say. 

Her skills as a homemaker were unmatched. If you had walked into her house without hat or gloves you would certainly leave with a set-or three! One of her most honored memories is when she humbly devoted her time and funds to crochet hundreds of pink hats for The Pink Lady Rally event for breast cancer in 2016. She bought every ball of pink yarn she could find in the area!

“I still do not regret anything”

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