Life story

" Marilyn O’Brien Matos passed away in Decatur, Georgia on August 5, 2024, at the age of 89.

The daughter of Thomas and Kay O'Brien, she was raised in the Bronx, New York. When she was a teenager, her parents built a cottage in Southampton, NY where she and her family would love to spend time together for several decades.

A graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, she majored in psychology and was known to her friends as “The Lieutenant’s Lady”, due to a burgeoning romance with Army Lieutenant Gene Matos, a graduate of Fordham University. They married in June 1956 and spent their early time together at Gene’s post in Kaiserslautern, Germany where their son Brian was born.

They returned to the States and eventually bought their first home in Eastchester, NY where their daughter Susan was born. After a few years they moved to Houston, Texas for Gene’s job as a sales executive with Scandinavian Airlines. While the kids were growing up, Marilyn was an elementary school teacher.

When Susan graduated high school, they returned to Pelham so they could be close to family again. She continued teaching until Gene took early retirement and they moved to Bonita Springs, Florida. They had wonderful friends there and did a lot of traveling, until Gene passed away in 2006. Marilyn continued to live in Florida until she relocated to Atlanta to be close to Susan. She was an active member of St. Thomas More church and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. After a short illness spent in the hospital, she was able to return to her home where she passed peacefully.

Marilyn is survived by son Brian and his wife JoEtta of Bloomington IN, and daughter Susan and her husband Jim Bergen of Atlanta GA; grandchildren Tyler Matos and wife Nathalie, Karsen Matos, Ryley Matos, Caroline Bergen and Rachael Bergen; and great grandson Cooper Matos.

Marilyn had a great long life and was a treasure to all who were lucky enough to have known her. She will be missed every day.

In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to St. Thomas More Catholic Church in memory of Marilyn.
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