Caryl Jean O'Brien

On March 25, 2020, Heaven received the kindest, sweetest angel, surrounded by people who dearly love her.

Caryl Jean was born on June 19, 1944, to Bennie & June (Wanek) Peterson, while her daddy was crossing the English Channel as a soldier in WWII. She lived in Winona most of her childhood, then moved to Rochester and graduated from Lourdes Catholic High School. She worked as a front-desk assistant registrar at St. Marys Hospital; where she met a cute boy named Stanley. They were married on June 6, 1964, at Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Rochester, MN.

In 1967, they moved to Hayfield, MN, and made their family home there for 53 years. Caryl was a devoted member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She loved watching the Hallmark channel, Murder She Wrote, and The Food Network channel. She loved getting lost on day trips and trips to Duluth, MN; John Denver music, spending time in their camper, enjoying time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and reading Mary Higgins-Clark novels; she loved the color pink and lighthouses. Boy did she have a good sense of humor.

Caryl is survived by her mother, June Peterson; the love of her life Stan and their seven children: Ann (Mike) Woslager, Colleen (Randy) Reese, Mary (Mike) Timmons, Melissa O’Brien, Matt (fiancée Lisa Johnson), Paul (Mikaela) O’Brien, Emily (Tim) Bloem, and Poppy (spoiled-brother puppy).

Grandchildren: Amanda (Glenn) Boyum, Megan (Catherine) Milner-Woslager, Samuel (Danielle) Woslager, Velsi, Isabel, Millie, Clare, Kate, Adam, Sofia, Gabe, and Abby Woslager, Hanna (Drew) Medin, Joe (Jenna) Volgarino, Zach (Amelia) Volgarino, Anthony (Rachel) Reese, Alex (special friend Megan) Reese, Abbey (Brady) Crabtree, Luke (Jenna) Timmons, Nate (fiancée Lexi) Timmons, Noah Timmons, Elijah O’Brien, Erin O’Brien, Sean O’Brien, Payne O’Brien, Pierce O’Brien, Knox O’Brien, Madeline Pennington, Jack Pennington, Lydia Pennington, and Ava Bloem.

Great-grandchildren: Scarlett Boyum, Felicity Boyum, Tanner Woslager, Mason Woslager, Henri Woslager, Vera Reese, Eve Reese, Baby-girl Timmons, and Baby-boy Timmons.

Siblings: Sue (Bud) Wackwitz, Alan (Diane) Peterson, Mary (Brian) Biske, Bob Peterson, Jane (Michael) Hughes, and brother Paul, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends

Preceded in death: her father, Bennie Peterson, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bernard and Clara O’Brien, and granddaughter Ella Woslager.

A Celebration of Life Memorial service will be at a later date at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hayfield.

Blessed be her memory.