Rosemary O'Brien, 93, died on September 29, 2018 at her home at Princeton Windrows, in Princeton, NJ after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease.

She was born June 6, 1925 in South Bend, Indiana, the eldest child of Dr. Peter Birmingham and Sarah Birmingham. She graduated from Saint Mary's College in 1947 and earned a master's degree in Far Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan in 1979.

In 1948 she married James L. O'Brien of Beloit, Wisconsin, with whom she raised three children in South Bend, Indiana and Ann Arbor, Michigan, before moving to Princeton in 1968. She greatly enjoyed spending summers, over more than fifty years, at their cottage in Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Rosemary had a passion for reading and a great talent for writing, culminating in the publication of a book on the diaries of Gertrude Bell, who was an early female Middle East explorer. She enjoyed travel around the globe with her husband Jim who was an attorney and executive with Bendix International. Rosemary also developed an increasing interest in other women's issues and published articles and chapters on women's historical and cultural topics. Where ever she lived she enjoyed participating in various book groups and reading clubs. She always showed flair for entertaining. Rosemary was active in many civic activities in Princeton. She was among the first women to be inducted into the Old Guard of Princeton Nassau Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, James L. O'Brien, who died in 2002, her parents and her brother Richard and his wife Jeanne.  She is survived by daughter and son-in law, Anne and Dr. Stephen Bauer of Rochester, New York, son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Wendilee (Health) O'Brien of Winter Harbor, Maine, son and daughter-in-law David and Sara (Howard) O'Brien of Reston, Virginia and five grandchildren, Erica (Bauer) Evert and her husband Corey Evert; Benjamin, Luke, Charleen, and Gabe O'Brien and one great grandson, Jack Evert

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday October 12, 2018 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. The burial will be private in Princeton Cemetery.

A gathering to celebrate Rosemary's life will be held Saturday October 13, 2018 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Princeton Windrows, 2000 Windrow Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Rosemary's honor to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.