Kent, Washington - Dagmar O'Brien was born on February 4, 1935 and passed away at home on March 14, 2021 surrounded by her 3 children.

Dagmar grew up in Falun, Sweden where she was one of 6 children. She earned her pharmacy degree and practiced as a locum pharmacist and mountaineering assistant in Sweden before coming to the U.S. in her twenties with the intention of staying a year visiting her sister and travelling. She attended a meeting of a social group for tall people, the Tip Toppers, and met a charming gentleman named Bob O'Brien whom she later married.

Residents of Kent, Washington since 1977, they raised 3 children and were active in local schools, city government, and Swedish cultural organizations. Their marriage spanned almost 40 years until Bob's passing in 2008.

Dagmar was a stay at home mom for years but then became a paraeducator working at multiple local elementary schools. She loved to travel and visited Egypt and multiple European countries as well as numerous trips within the U.S. including a trip to Las Vegas to see Celine Dion live at Caesars Palace with her daughter.

Pre-pandemic, Dagmar was a long-term volunteer at the Nordic Heritage Museum where she brought in friendship bread weekly for the staff. A Swede through and through, she was known for her birthday phone calls, singing Happy Birthday in English first and then in Swedish. Dagmar was also famous for her Swedish pancakes which would delight her kids, their friends, and her granddaughter Annika, who enjoyed coming to visit on Saturdays. She was an avid gardener and her rose bushes won prizes at flower shows. She was a regular at her local coffee stand where her single tall nonfat latte was always ready before she reached the window.

Dagmar was a member of St. Stephen's church in Renton and attended mass and meetings regularly with her friends. She had an infectious laugh, zany sense of humor, and could often be found dancing with the dog in the kitchen. Fiercely independent, she would often go on her own to hiking and skiing activities. Dagmar was an amazing mother, wife, sister, aunt, Farmor, friend, neighbor, and dog mom. She will be missed by many and replaced by none.

Memorial services are currently on hold due to COVID.