Audrey K. O'Shaughnessy

Audrey K. O’Shaughnessy, of Hockessin, Delaware, a loving, compassionate and devout soul, passed away on Wednesday June 17th, 2026.  Audrey was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 31, 1935, to the late Harold and Marion Keeler, and shared a lifetime of love with her husband Rich, and solidarity and friendship with sisters Carol and Eileen Keeler.

Audrey was a registered nurse and was employed in a variety of settings throughout her long dedication to her calling:  a visiting nurse in Chicago, a obstetrics nurse, a member of the Brandywine Nursing Home staff and after raising her family, a devoted school nurse to multiply challenged students at the Meadowood School and Anna P. Mote Elementary.  Recognizing the need for what is now termed “respite,” Audrey even opened her family home to students whose parents needed a “caregiver’s break.”   

Audrey believed in community and joined husband Rich in volunteering at the Arundel Swim Club (even though she never learned to swim herself), provided an impressive spread of snacks at the yearly Senior Olympics Swim Meet, and was an unpaid substitute for absent school nurses at St. Ann’s School in Wilmington. Audrey further lead by example and volunteered at the Brandywine Nursing Home (where she once worked), taught Sunday school at the Resurrection Parish, donated her time to the St. Catherine of Siena Parish, and post-retirement was a friendly visitor for Delaware Hospice. 

Audrey shared a remarkable marriage of 69 years with husband and best friend Richard O’Shaughnessy, who predeceased her by just 123 days.  Their love, laughter, communication, partnership and devotion were never more evident as Audrey and Rich grew older together.  They cared for each other until they absolutely needed more help:  facing their difficulties with wonder, humor, and an endless commitment to each other. 

Audrey loved her family deeply, and was a caring sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  She is survived by her sister Eileen; three children:  Joseph O’Shaughnessy (Debbie), Eileen O’Shaughnessy-Coleman (John), and Michael O’Shaughnessy (Kelly); her eight grandchildren:  Keeley (Sam), Patrick (Sara), Sean, Kevin, Ryan, Gregory, Brian (Katie) and Mari-Kate; and four great-grandchildren:  Logan, Jamie, Murphy and Ezra.  Audrey also leaves behind a large extended family lovingly inherited when she married Rich. 

In addition to her parents, Audrey was predeceased by her husband, Rich; her sister, Carol; her grandson, Kevin; Rich’s siblings: Jim, Jean, Joan and Don; nephews, Tim and Tom; and niece, Joanne. 

Audrey was a gentle woman with an eclectic love of life.  She loved large family events yet the quiet reverence of daily mass, road trips, singing in choir, romance novels, Jeopardy, peach rings, Campbell’s original chicken noodle soup, Kohl’s, homemade chili, chocolate eclairs (fresh only), Chicago, pastel flowers, Pinot Grigio, mani-pedis, Boggle, Scrabble and Dominoes, friends’ phone calls, slippers, rainbows, and snowfalls (no ice though). Audrey’s infectious laugh and beautiful smile will always ring loudly and shine brightly in our hearts and minds as we remember our sister, beloved Mother, Grandma and Great-Grandma. 

Family and friends are invited to visit from 5-7pm on Thursday July 9th at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Friday July 10th at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 2503 Centerville Road, Wilmington DE. 

Donations in Audrey’s honor may be made to Delaware Hospice, https://delawarehospice.org/give/ or mailed to 630 Churchman’s Road, Suite 200, Newark, DE 19702. 

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